


Lost in skies of powdered gold

by chetvero



Series: Stuck in Gravity [3]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Childhood Memories, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mental Breakdown, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:40:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22352749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chetvero/pseuds/chetvero
Summary: Back to Scott and Reyes story. Post-canon.The Tempest is ready to go searching for Quarian Ark and her crew got an addition.  New challenges ahead, both for the Pathfinder's team and Pathfinder's lover.
Relationships: Male Ryder | Scott/Reyes Vidal
Series: Stuck in Gravity [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1466398
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Lost in the skies of powdered gold](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/552418) by hedera_helix. 



> Hi folks!  
> We are back with a continuation of the series. If you haven't read previous part - some references may be unclear, just saying :)  
> In case you see some pretty terrible mistakes - let me know ^)

Cargo bay ramp opened before him - just like that, with no additional moves or credentials. _< Pathfinder’s special order>_ as SAM offered. Reyes realised that it was the first time for him to get on the Tempest openly, without asking for permission or sneaking. And alone.

So, he took his way in, to the cargo bay, noticing trademark view of partially disassembled Nomad. “Welcome committee” was already there, suspiciously eyeing his every step. 

“It might be a bit overdramatic, but I have a feeling that I’m not welcome here,” Reyes smirked, staying close to entrance.

“And what did you expect, Vidal? Welcome party? After all you’ve done to him?” Kosta crossed his hands. “Was it another game for you? And you have the guts to say that you love him?”

“I wasn’t planning to talk about it at all, to be honest,” Reyes tried not to hiss, disappointed with himself. He shouldn’t lose his cool (well. Almost lose) so fast. “Especially with you, Kosta.”

“Ooookey, boys. That’s it.” Harper was standing near the passage to upper desk, posture stiff. “Scott has enough on his plate without you getting to each other throats. And Liam has a point, you have your fair share in adding to it, Mr. Vidal. But now he is content, so the rest is not up to us. Welcome aboard.”

She turned and left, leaving no space to quarrel, so Kosta followed, casting an angry look. Others just left silently, and only PeeBe brushed his shoulder.

“I like you,” she whispered. “Guys tend to forget the fact that Ryder is not an idiot. He knows what he wants, and if he wants it with you - I’m totally fine with it.”

“I feel so much better now. Thanks,” Reyes smiled with all his cockiness and smugness.

She just winked and smiled. Reyes traced her leaving. He lied again. He didn’t feel any better, on the contrary. Mostly because Kosta was right. 

As soon as he found himself alone again, Reyes snuggled against the wall, closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, trying to chase away pending migraine.

Something started making chirping sounds and Reyes smiled at the source of it - one of the crates was occupied by fat well-tended pyjack. 

“Let me guess, you don’t like me as well?”

Pyjack, of course, didn’t answer, just watched Reyes’ outstretched hand cautiously, and then cringed away from it. Reyes signed, dropped his hand and closed his eyes, leaning against the wall. Though, as soon as he heard rushed steps, he returned to previous pose and set his face to the usual careless mask.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Scott huffed and slid hand to Reyes’ waist. Judging from laboured breath, he had been running at least some part of the way to Tempest, “I’m late, and from this look on your face - it was not a warm welcome, huh?”

“I’ve had worse,” Reyes smiled, but it was lame, and Scott definitely noticed. “Did you wrap up all your tasks, everything’s fine?”

“Yes, time to go. We’ve got a bearing on Quarian Ark signal, so everything is ready to plot the course. I’m heading to the bridge, are you with me?”

“No, I feel a bit tired, so I think I’ll better wait for you in our warm bed,” he pecked Scott’s lips, mostly to avoid seeing his too understanding face.

“No problem,” Scott agreed and closed his fingers on his arm, like trying to encourage him. “Just don’t fall asleep, ok? We can’t fuck up the first night of our honeymoon. I mean, it’s definitely gonna be “fuck” part, right? Anyways. I’ll try to be back to you asap.”

“Honeymoon, huh?” Reyes smiled again, and rested cold fingers on Ryder’s neck, just below the hairline, played with short hairs on his nape and then slid lower, touching tender skin on prominent vertebra, enjoying the contrast of textures.

“What? Yes!” Scott’s eyes were shining with mirth, like snow in the sunlight and Reyes couldn’t stop smiling. Ryder kissed his temple, and continued, lips close to ear. “You can’t imagine, how happy I am. To have you here, with me. Mine.”

“Yours,” Reyes echoed and felt the wave of something washing over him.

“And to hell with everything else.”

“To hell,” he told himself, on the way to captain’s quarters. To hell with suspicious pair of cobalt angaran eyes, watching him from upper deck. To hell with Vetra Nyx, who turned off her omni’s display on his approach. To hell with another eyeful from chief engineer on his way out of galley. 

What really mattered was Ryder’s bed, unmade and smelling of him. It mattered, that Reyes was still alive and breathing, and could feel that smell, that Ryder was alive and breathing too. It mattered, that they were together at last. And all the rest could really go to hell.

He shared those newly discovered thoughts with Keema, though in less dramatic way and even laughed at her “No way, someone’s got it?” response. Sound resonated in the emptiness of Ryder’s bedroom. Of their bedroom, to be precise. The very thought brought back the strange wave he felt earlier in the cardo bay, even stronger now.

Reyes got so lost in mailing with Keema that he totally missed the moment when Ryder stormed into the room, getting undressed in process.

“Hey, why are you still dressed?” Scott made some funny jumps on one leg, getting other out of the pants. The trail of abandoned clothing pieces indicated his route and now he was standing in front of Reyes in all his almost naked glory. “What are you waiting for?” 

“My bad,” Reyes turned his chair so now he was facing Scott but didn’t take any further moves. He couldn’t miss the look that Scott gave him - hungry, longing, as if Reyes himself was an amazing and long awaited gift. So, he just got himself comfortable, spread his legs a bit more and rested hands on the armrests. He had a feeling that Scott would want to open his present by himself. “Why don’t you rectify that?” 

***

He woke up in the middle of the “night”, for no reason - just opened his eyes and listened to the quiet hum of vent system. He associated this sound with sweltering heat, even as room was, on the contrary, quite cool. Ryder even got as close to Reyes as possible, cuddling like a kitten, seeking warmth and protection. Reyes caressed Scott’s shoulder with his fingertips - they already felt numb and he had to find a way to free his hand without waking Ryder.

Reyes turned his head and looked through the window, irrationally expecting to see the usual picture - mountains, stars, lights of Port, shuttles even. 

The only thing he saw was total emptiness. Absolute.

SAM’s sphere was the only source of light and its opalescent shining created illusion of underwater, surreal world, deaf and silent. Reyes’ anxiety grew, and he signed - the last thing he needed was midnight panic attack in a new place. Everything was according to the plan, wasn’t it? That’s what he wanted, right?

Scott’s brow furrowed in his sleep, reacting to increased heartbeat of the other man, and he drew Reyes close, trying to shield him from something.

“I want to be here,” Reyes tried to reason himself. “I love him, alright? Chill out.”

His heart, though, was doing just the opposite, and Reyes even entertained the idea of waking Scott. To have sex, or just say something and hear his voice, just to make sure that he is real. They are real. That they are not underwater and still can breathe and speak. 

Scott’s breath was hot and wet on his neck. Reyes hugged him and tried to close his own eyes. It was just pointless, and they kept been stubbornly open. Ryder, in the meantime, took a deep breath and made himself even more comfortable. Reyes was always mesmerised by this super ability - to fall asleep no matter what, like someone just hit the switch in Scott.

Sometimes Scott’s dreams were plagued by nightmares - kett, Scourge, mass fatality incidents among civilians. Reyes mostly didn’t suffer this aspect of consciousness; his arch-enemy was good old insomnia. 

In a few minutes of senseless staring at the ceiling Reyes gave up, carefully got himself out of Scott’s embrace and blanket, found some sweatpants and left the quarters.

He made a first stop in the bathroom - splashed some cold water on his face and along the way cleaned some dried toothpaste spots off the mirror. The urge to wash the bathroom squeaky clean was almost unbearable, but he got a hold on himself and just wrote a letter to Keema. It was something about upcoming elections - just a way to start conversation. Keema didn’t answer and after a brief calculation of time difference between Tempest and Port, Reyes realized why. 

The wakefulness was annoying, and Reyes decided to fight it in the best possible way - found hopefully mostly clean towel and went to makeshift gym in the far corner of cargo bay. 

To be honest, he was always running. From Milky Way, from Nexus, from Ryder. The latter, as he realized, was futile and unwise. 

Right now he was running straight into the grey metal wall, desperately wishing to finally make it into the unforgiving material, bang his head and at last kill all the remnants of stupid thoughts and ideas, swimming there like a flakes of dissolved flash in acid lake. 

That, sadly, wasn’t something treadmill would allow to do. 

Reyes had been running for some time now and cleared the sweat from his forehead, when he saw a familiar figure in the corner of his eye.

“What the hell are you doing here?” figure asked with a hint of aggression. Like he met a rival thief on the robbery site.

“The same thing as you, obviously,” Reyes said dryly. 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Kosta looked lost, like he was solely going to use treadmill. After a few seconds he found himself a rowing machine - as it allowed to face the treadmill. “And what’s up with you? Why not sleeping in Ryder’s embrace? Or whatever you do there…”

Reyes almost laughed - yep, Liam Kosta and a magic trip to the world of same sex relations. 

“Ryder’s embrace is just perfect, thanks,” he said and increased speed, effectively ending senseless conversation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyes is dealing with being trapped on a ship with nowhere to run and a bit of jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, once again sorry for a late update.  
> So here is something to read while many of us are to stay in isolation.  
> Stay safe, keep social distance and wash your hands :)

“I don’t like you, Vidal,” voice carried from the darkened door of the galley and Reyes almost dropped his data pad, startled.

“Well, that’s hardly news,” he retorted, deliberately slowly lifting his eyes. Vetra was leaning against the door with threatening look on her face. “But, to think about it - I’d expect nothing else from someone with your skills and experience.”

“Not working,” she crossed her hands over the chest, long talon tapping on shoulder guard with an awful sound. 

“I must be getting sloppy,” four days he had on Tempest didn’t light a desire to start befriending her crew so far. 

All Reyes wanted at this particular moment was to get some breakfast with a mean cup of coffee, and then to go back to their quarters and at least try to put some order in Scott’s stuff, scattered all over the room. Preferably alone.

“I didn’t forget what you’ve done for me, Reyes,” Nyx continued, ignoring his annoyance. “I just don’t like to be bribed. Or manipulated.”

“Okay, so I can’t make things better between us. Fine. Can I go now?’

“I didn’t finish,” she made a step forward and now was standing in the full light. “I don’t like you, but Scott likes you and it’s fine. But. After your shitshow on the Nexus you’ve got a new fan. My sister. It’s easy to fall for a rebel, killed for the honourable cause, you know. She decided to quit her job, move to Kadara and join the Collective. You must talk her out of it.”

“I’m not sure that’s…”

“Vidal. It was not a request.”

“Oh, I see,” his annoyance turned into some mischief, “I’ll definitely speak to your sister, tell her how deep I fell - owning a planet, ruling one of the most powerful syndicates in this cluster and sleeping with the Pathfinder. In every detail. I guess my poor example will make her realise that she should stay on the Nexus and continue her very important job in creating subs for inspiring broadcasts from outposts.”

Nyx studied him, tilting her birdy head to one side. Reyes just hoped she wouldn’t try to attack him - he had enough on his plate now to add unnecessary conflicts. 

“Are you always asking for trouble like this?” 

“Pretty much, yeah. Try not to get too far with Ryder, though. He’s a biotic, after all, and I wouldn’t want to turn into a goo, you know.”

She gave him almost invisible smile.

“I think I lied,” she said with some sort of playfulness. “I like you. In a way.”

“I do that a lot. Lying, I mean,” Reyes dropped his voice, just a little. “We’ll be fine. And I got it. About your sister. Will see what I can do.”

Nyx nodded and left.

Galley was blissfully empty, so Reyes made a decent cup of coffee and not so decent sandwich, tasting like wet cardboard. He got himself comfortable and returned to reading.

Keema was doing pretty good but tended to carefully ask about every case she had even slightest doubts, so he did have his hand full. Though, Reyes was quite sure that Keema did that on purpose - to save him from getting bored to death.

Soon it turned up that Reyes was not the only early bird on the Tempest along with Vetra (Reyes suspected, that the turian didn’t sleep at all). First among living appeared Gil Brodie, dishevelled from the sleep. Chief engineer strolled into the galley, got himself the rest of the coffee and opened the fridge. That was it - he just stared into it, scratching his unshaven chin and waiting for something until a warning beeped. Then he closed the fridge’s door, plopped on a bench and gave Reyes the same unfocused stare. 

“Morning,” he finally said, sounding like a man who spent night somewhere extremely seedy. 

Reyes nodded his acknowledgement and the room returned to comfortable silence. That didn’t change when Suvi came in, and Nyx returned with some crates. Both didn’t express any desire to some idle chit-chat. So, they just stayed in an atmosphere of mutual nonchalance - Gil was trying to get himself together, Vetra was stashing some goods in storages like a giant squirrel, Suvi was drinking her tea with some angaran snacks. 

Next person to arrive was Liam Kosta. Right from the door he gave Reyes an odd look - like he couldn’t quite decide, if he wanted to stay in the same room with him or to leave. After a few seconds Kosta greeted the others and started making himself breakfast - some awful protein paste and cup of something standard coffee machine produced. Brown liquid, in Reyes opinion, didn’t have any rights to be called coffee, but it seemed that Kosta was not picky.

Looked like Kosta’s morning was not good at all, as he almost overturned the glass, swore and pushed Gil's legs from one of the chairs. 

“Who pissed in your coffee already, Kosta?”, Brodie curiously asked.

“You see, I kind of don’t like fare jumpers, like this one. He uses our water, eats our food… And doesn’t do anything on board to help. He’s totally useless and everyone is just ok with that,” Kosta was quite eager to share his opinion, like he was just waiting to go on with it. 

Brodie just snorted - he was amused by this confrontation. In the meantime Suvi finished cleaning Reyes’ old coffee machine and silently offered to refill Reyes' cup. 

“We are fully stocked, you know,” Vetra said, sipping something grey from her cup, “and mostly…”

“Oh, come on, Nyx, I understand, smuggling brotherhood and all this shit, but when I see parasite, I know one.”

“Liam, I just wanted to say that eighty percent of our supplies - and the rest of stuff, to be honest - are direct shipments from Kadara. In case you didn’t know - Addison decided to cut expenses on Pathfinders teams, colonies are main priority now. So…”

“And he’s not useless, by the way,” Brodie chimed in, feeling the change in the scenery. He stood and stole a piece of the toast from Reyes’ plate, winking. “Helped me with modes for Nomad yesterday. And those modes are his… doing, you know? Darling cares about us, poor space wanderers as much as he can.”

Reyes briefly considered stopping Gil from calling him like that, but then decided, that stupid nickname was not something worth fighting about. He'd been called much worth, after all.

“I do my best to serve the common goal,” he dropped and cleared away his plate, then turned and eyed Liam. “I hope we’ve solved your parasite issue, Kosta? I hate to owe one to anyone, you know. Quite an unpleasant feeling, right?”

Reyes didn’t wait for the answer - just took his unfinished coffee and left the galley. He didn’t in make it very far, though, been caught by Gil.

“Can you spare some time later?” He asked like Reyes owed them something for moral support. “Engine issues. I need someone with a fresh eye. Jaal is a bright guy, but my tools are not suitable for him and I can let Liam as close to Nomad, as he can let me close to his… assets. The rest found some really important stuff to do, so…”

Reyes shot a brief look to the door of the captain's quarters, where Ryder was probably still asleep, warm and soft.

“Lead the way.” 

***

Scott’s morning was no differ from the rest of them, except for a fine mood, which was a rare occasion. 

Reyes had woken him when was getting out of the bed in some ungodly hour, but Scott just fell back to sleep, face buried in Reyes’ pillow, surrounded by his smell and warmth. The last thing he felt - were Reyes’ hands, carefully tucking the covers around.

Scott returned to life much later - after proper cuddling in the bed, smiling to the ceiling and his own stupid thoughts. He took shower - lukewarm, cause everything in this world had its price, and additional hours of sleep cost hot water used by others. Getting dressed, Ryder couldn’t help but took a moment to enjoy the view of Reyes’ clothes hanging along his own. 

After finishing with reports from the team and sending his own to Nexus, Scott decided to go find Reyes. The search was done right away - from the higher level of cargo bay he heard the familiar voice.

“Top brake expander, see? Tighten it and...” Reyes’ voice sounded strange, like he was winded. 

“I got it, but the string?”

Scott looked down. Nomad was half disassembled, like a lizard on examination table for biology lesson. Gil’s lower half was visible from under the hood and from under the side of the vehicle stack out a pair of ridiculously long legs in joggers and flip-flops. 

“Just do it, will you?” 

Scott tried not to run down the stairs too hard - he definitely knew whom those legs belonged to.

“Fine, fine… Here we are.”

“Well,” Reyes’ voice changed - it was louder and clearer now. 

“How come I didn’t get to this myself? It’s obvious,” Gil sounded frustrated.

“I think you did, actually. But didn’t go for it. It’s hard to be a bit cruel with your own vehicle. So, all you needed was a second opinion.”

When Ryder got down the ladder, Reyes was already out from under the Nomad and now stood half-turned to Scott, clearing his hands with some rug.

He was wearing a once-white undershirt, now covered with some grease spots, which left almost nothing to imagination. Along with dishevelled hair, shin layer of sweat on golden skin and slight frown he looked like walking wet dream. Scott wasn’t ready for it. Not in the slightest.

He swallowed hard, not trusting his voice, eyes still on Reyes, tracing movements of delicate wrists. To break away he moved his gaze on familiar bright spot - Gil caught his eyes giving a sympathetic smirk. And then winked - with no sympathy at all. Reyes turned, catching that wink and the fact that it was not addressed to him. He didn’t say anything, though and just kept frowning.

In Scott’s mind eye appeared a number of rather filthy images, focusing mostly on Reyes, who’d fuck him senseless on every available horizontal surface with no foreplay. 

It was clear that those ideas were written all over his face, so Scott decided to give them a voice.

“I’ve once seen vintage porn that had very same beginning.”

“My, Ryder, how can you say such things to a single man?” Gil played along, even biting his bottom lip as a kind of resentment. “Like to show starving man steak and then not to share.”

“I wonder, what else was in that porn, Scott?” Reyes finished cleaning his hands and eyed Scott with gaze heavy, totally ignoring Gil’s presence. 

“I don’t remember all the details,” Scott licked his lips and made several steps towards Reyes, hypnotised. “If I’m not mistaken, two brutal mechanics repair guy’s car and he offers to fuck them both as a payment. Right there in the workshop.”

“Very promising,” Gil nodded enthusiastically. “I like the idea.”

“I hope you like your teeth more, my friend,” Reyes said, with no real aggression, still holding his gaze on Scott. 

“Woah, Darling, I’m just joking!”

“Me too. We’re all just joking here, right?”

Ryder didn’t bother with answer - he just got a handful of Reyes’ undershirt and tugged him closer for a kiss. Reyes reciprocated, eagerly - holding Scott a bit closer than was necessary and turning them both a bit. Scott though didn’t mind at all and Gil, who got a better view, even whistled approvingly.

***

They got into the captain's quarters, laughing and kissing. Reyes almost lost his balance with one of his flip-flops catching the threshold, but Scott saved him from falling. Reyes giggled and made a few steps into the room, his back to the bed. 

Scott had to hold him from falling on the bed too because he saw it - a pile of clothes and bedding, towering proudly in the middle of it.

Reyes turned and saw it too. 

“... the fuck?” he managed, sounding almost terrified.

“Laundry. I was going to sort it but… well. You know.”

Scott hugged Reyes from behind, taking advantage of the stunned man, kissed his shoulder, then neck trying to leave hickey there, tugged the hem of undershirt to play with the abs and then boldly went down, sliding his hand into the pants, caressing hot and wet skin there. Reyes was semi-hard already, head wet and Scott couldn’t help himself and rubbed it with fingertip.

Reyes made a strange but encouraging sound and tilted his head, giving Scott more access.

“Just shove it on the floor. I’ll deal with it later,” Scott offered with no real hope for success - Reyes would rather die than have sex having a pile of laundry on the floor.

“I almost believe in your good intentions, Scott,” he smirked and held his breath when Scott licked a wet line along the neck, tasting Reyes’ sweat.

“I solemnly promise to do it.”

“Ryder, get lost, will you?” Reyes said, sounding a bit winded but with a familiar steel in his voice. He already made up his mind. “It won’t take long, two minutes tops.”

“I wonder, how we even managed to fuck in a certain cave? With your fixation on order and all that?” Scott sunk his teeth into the tender skin just above the collarbone - not to hurt, he just couldn’t keep his emotions in check.

“Cave had its own order, Scott,” Reyes smiled, and Scott caught himself on thought that he totally understood what Vidal meant. “And, if you want to know, I’m not sure if anything could stop me that day. Earthquake, hurricane - name it. That’s how much I wanted to finally have you.”

“We can use couch, by the way,” the feeling of smooth skin under his fingers and amazing ass pressed to his crotch drove Scott crazy. He desired Reyes, and he was drowning in this desire, in this feeling of utter belonging without any attempts to save himself. 

Reyes was hot and pliant under Scott’s hands, eagerly reciprocating caresses but stood his ground, nevertheless. When Ryder tried to steal a kiss, he didn’t let him, turning back to the fucking pile. So, Scott’s lips just grazed the clean-shaved (how he even got time for that?) jaw. 

“This couch was made by Spanish Inquisition,” Reyes freed himself from embrace and returned to laundry. “My back still hurts from the previous time. Who was responsible for furnishing captain’s quarters with this piece of crap, I wonder?” 

“What, our royal highness finds accommodations too low-key for a king?” Ryder smirked and tried to help but was shooed away. 

“If it wasn’t for you, I might not be a king,” Reyes sounded almost shy, but it didn’t affect efficiency of his work. Pile was getting smaller, but still too slow, for Ryder opinion.

“If it wasn’t for me, you’d be emperor by this time. I’m keeping the destructive power of your charisma at bay.”

“And here I thought that you liked my ambitiousness” Vidal shot him a look and lopsided grin.

“I like your all,” Scott admitted easily and flopped on the bed, trying to keep his hands in check. “These eyes of a wolf, gods… You know, last time I’ve fallen so hard I was fourteen or something… Or maybe even never at all? But this Galaxy needs a hero to save it from you.”

“Like river and riverbed.”

“Sorry, what?”

“Well,” Reyes was adoringly embarrassed, “Keema says that our relations remind her of it. I’m a river and you are my riverbed. Or something like that, I’m not totally sure.”

“Well, it makes some sense. Is it angaran thing?” Scott was considering taking off his pants, but the idea of Reyes doing it with his teeth, prevailed.

“Yes, kinds of relationships, I guess.”

“And what are the other types?”

“I actually don’t know, but her favourite one is probably - walking on the same trap twice.”

“Details, please?”

“Sorry, NDA. I’m talking too much, I guess,” he sighed. Playful mood decayed, but Scott knew from the experience how to bring it back. “But it is so frustrating. This woman, she’s not listening. At all.”

“Well, if I was her, I wouldn’t follow your advices about relations too,” Scott smirked and dropped on the bed. From this point of view Reyes’ cock, tenting thin material of his joggers, was clearly visible and Scott had a good chance of dying from excitement. “You are one hell of an expert.”

“Really?” Reyes asked coldly and continued to silently sort the laundry. Scott felt the change of his mood with growing anxiety.

“What?” he finally asked.

“You chief engineer…” Reyes was eyeing the Blasto t-shirt with painstaking attention. “Such longing can’t be a product of his own imagination. Did you have something?”

Scott rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to discuss now was his not so successful affair with Gil. Not that he wanted to hide it from Reyes.

“One kiss.”

The look Reyes gave him was piercing. Or pushing even, like some unyielding machine. Now Scott realised the nature of the scene in the hangar.

“Kiss like lips and mouth?”

“Do you know other kinds of kisses, Reyes?!” Scott got up, tore t-shirt from Reyes’ hands and angrily shoved it into some random cabinet. 

“How do I know, maybe you call blowjobs one long cock-kiss?” Reyes shot back, getting another item from the pile.

“Stop it, will you? It was before we even met. I was right out of cryo, and with all the shitshow… It just happened; you know. If I’m not mistaken, he already has someone on Nexus.”

“He has his dreams and right hand,” Reyes stopped pretending to be busy and just stared at the rest of the pile.

“So, you want to say, that you don’t trust me?” Scott crossed his hands, because all he wanted now was to take Reyes and shake him. Or to turn back time, right to the moment when they were halfway to bed.

“I trust you, Scott. I just don’t like the fact, that a man, who is literally eyefucking you, hangs around and you are okay with that.”

“Reyes…” it was hard to find proper - or any - words. So, Scott decided to change a topic. “I understand, you are feeling uncomfortable now, being out of control, on unfamiliar ship, with not so friendly crew… And that’s fine to feel out of place, really. But I’m with you, you know that, right?” He put his hand on Reyes’ shoulder, in attempt to relax him a bit.

“I’m sure that you will protect me from your crew,” Reyes gave him a smile, and it was unkind one. Way to change a topic.

Scott suddenly realised that his next words, whatever he said, wouldn't matter. And despite serious quarrel, the first thing he felt was stupid frustration because of cancelled sex. 

“I have a feeling I have to protect the crew from you,” he shook his head. “You are like a cat. Big and annoying cat, who just claims his territory.”

“I’m ready to pee around the corners if you guarantee that it will magically make everything fine.”

“Everything IS fine, Reyes.”

“Yeah, if you say so,” Reyes’ voice was dry and lifeless, like a piece of plastic, and when he smiled - it was icy and dead. It was hard to believe that the very same person ten minutes ago was kissing Scott senseless and was whispering about all the dirty details about how exactly he was going to fuck him. The very same person, who tucked him in this morning. “You should know better.”

“Passive aggression, huh? Refreshing”.

If he could, Scott would slam the door, leaving. 

***

Reyes closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to cope with the wave of anger. Scott was right - total lack of control was driving him crazy. And Keema was right too - he was getting restless in the closed space, without sky above and solid ground. Without any chance to get away. Looked like he was the only one who was not right. 

Ryder avoided him for the rest of the day. Reyes suspected that SAM was giving him heads-up about all the movements of “fare jumper” around the ship. He didn’t object, because he had no desire to see anyone, especially Scott. 

He felt himself almost like having hangover after a colossal party - awful and out of his element. It was painful even to be in his own body, lest to try being useful. But overthinking details of their argument was not productive and would result only a headache. So, Reyes focused on work. 

“Tempest” was connecting to network in 40 minutes intervals, so their discussion with Keema regarding situation with H-047 workers strike took all his time till the late night.

When he got out of his lair in the airlock, improvised with the help of blanket and airbed, donated by PeeBee, the bridge was already empty. 

Paranoid as always, Reyes checked the autopilot - everything was working normal - and then looked over the panorama window.

He couldn’t see the movement of the ship, of course, not in the space void, and The Scourge was there - dangerous and unforgiving, carnal even. The view was not helping to maintain not so stable balance. 

So, Reyes returned to get the bottle of whiskey out of his improvised lair along with the blanket and dropped on the floor right under the controls panel. 

The view was so mesmerizing and hypnotic, it cleared all the thoughts out of his mind and put him into deep trance, so Reyes didn’t even notice that he got company and didn’t hear the question he was asked. 

“Hm?” he asked, lifting his eyes to Ama Darav, standing above him. Anraga had a strange golden halo around - Reyes had forgotten to blink, staring into the space. 

“I asked, why are you sitting here,” he repeated calmly and dropped near. “You look upset.”

“Well, I am a little upset ,” Reyes decided to skip the details. He still felt like everything around was surreal and it was unpleasant feeling. 

“What a coincidence,” Jaal’s deep voice was just adding to surreal feeling. “Ryder is a little upset too.”

Reyes snorted. 

“As I understand, you are one of the outcasts, one of the … pirates, right?” Reyes was not confused by a sudden change of topic - he lived among angarans long enough to get used to it. “But I also understand that you are different from the others.”

“How come?”

“I see how you look at the stars.”

Reyes didn’t know how to answer so he just stared back to the void of space. Or to be precise - golden powder scattered among it, beautiful and dangerous at the same time. He watched a belt of asteroids and a small, cold, nameless sun. 

“You remind me of a lake, Reyes,” Jaal continued, and Reyes thought that with that voice he should tell amazing legends to the kids, not to try and set the brains to outcast and pirate. “You hide something there, in the darkest depth.”

Reyes turned to Jail, now watching him intently but Jaal just continued, ignoring his stare. 

“But Ryder - he is special. He sees you. His heart sees yours. Just... let him in.”

Reyes just continued to watch - how Scourge, and suns and everything were reflected in angaran huge eyes and it was unbelievably beautiful.

“Are all angaras such poets, Jaal? You just reminded me of someone I know.”

“We are all different, just like your species,” Jaal turned and met his eyes, open and friendly. “But yes, in general we are more sensible than you are.”

“By the way, Jaal, are you single? I mean, is your heart seeing someone?”

Jaal laughed - it was melodic and pleasant.

“I heard that humans sometimes share their beloved ones, and I appreciate your offer, but my heart carries too many wounds, my friend.”

“From what I know, wounds are getting better when you have someone to care for you. And it’s not for me - I’ve heard about such practices, but I don’t share. I’m a pirate after all, we are known for being greedy.”

Jaal stayed with him till the last drop of whiskey and walked him back to captains’ quarters - like he was worried that Reyes would get lost along the way. Not that he had any other options.

***

Ryder was reading something in bed - real, old fashioned paper book. He just gave him a look when Reyes walked into the room and stopped in the middle, not sure what to do next. Scott just stared, staying silent, then got under the covers and turned off the main lights.

“I’d better… go,” Reyes said turning to leave. In the whirl of thoughts in his brain he focused on a minor detail - Ryder tidied the room. 

“Don’t be stupid,” Scott mumbled into the pillow. “Go to bed.”

Reyes thought for a few seconds contemplating the options and then followed the advice - took off his pants and t-shirt and got on his side of bed. 

Ryder was not sleeping, judging from his breathing, and Reyes couldn’t fall asleep too. He took a deep sad breath and Ryder must’ve heard it - he said nothing, didn’t turn, but lifted his blanket invitingly. 

Reyes smiled and hugged Scott, buried his nose into curls of Scott’s nape and greedily breathed in his sweet scent.

“Forgive me,” he whispered.

“Shut up,” Ryder said but still closed his fingers over Reyes’.

“I was unfair to you,” Vidal continued, and Scott signed.

“Told you - shut up,” he moved though, getting closer to Reyes and added in the same adoringly grumpy voice. “Love you anyway, motherfucker.”

“I’m a very lucky motherfucker,” Reyes couldn’t stop smiling and planted a kiss under Scott’s ear, on the pulse point. 

“Will you just sleep already?” Ryder muttered, but still gave him more kissing space and Reyes’ smile grew wider. He hugged him tighter, peppering all the offered area with kisses and Scott gave up - turned to face him.

“How do I even stand you?” he breathed in kiss. “Fucking domestic tyrant.”

“How dare you,” Vidal nipped his chin playfully. “You obviously haven’t met tyrants. If you must know - I’m amazingly understanding, patient and open-minded partner.” 

“What did I do to have you in my life?” there was no hint of sarcasm in Scott’s voice, so Reyes was startled by this sudden confession. Luckily for him, Ryder didn’t expect any witty answer. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares and unexpected complications on board of the Tempest, along with some weird lecture about caudex plants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, hope you are doing fine :)  
> All this lockdown and quarantine stuff is really tough, so stay strong and calm.  
> Feedback is still appreciated, all mistakes are mine so feel free to let me know if you see something really awful.

Reyes sits on the metal floor. 

Dark blood drips from his broken nose, flows down his lips - similar beaten, and follows down his chin to neck. Hands are bound behind his back with plastic zip ties, bent at some painful angle and looks like his right elbow is dislocated, but it’s not the matter. His eyes no longer hold amber warmth within, nor anger or hate. It was only the emptiness of natural killer’s stare.

Cargo bay is well lit and silent. Everything is more or less as usual - except for Reyes, heavily leaning on one of the crates with his good shoulder, and bloody strains on the floor. 

Needless to say, it’s not only Reyes’ blood there.

“Scott, just stay away,” Cora says and holds her hands up, trying to reason him. Like there is the slightest chance for that. “We’ve got the information, he’s…”

“Stand down, all of you,” Ryder commands and doesn’t recognise his own voice. His team does not recognise it either, they don’t move. So, he gets his gun. 

“Come on, Ryder,” Reyes says, in a quiet but steady voice and spits. Bright red drops turn into stars on the metal floor. Scott has seen this before once and that is not something he wanted to see ever again. 

“Scott. Listen. He’s…”

“No. I don’t care, and I don’t want to know,” he sounds eerily calm, despite turmoil of emotions inside. He feels like everything - honour, duty, camaraderie, even self-preservation and caution - turn to dust. All he has in the end, stone heavy in the depth of his heart - Reyes and desire to protect him. At any cost.

“You won’t do anything,” Cora tries to stay calm, but he can feel how electrified the air around her is. The rest of them - Liam, Drack and Vetra - are just silently watching him. 

Liam has a broken nose; Cora’s jaw is bruised and Vetra nurses the wounded shoulder. So, it’s probably Drack - he could easily overweight Reyes in the fight. Jaal (or his body) is nowhere to be seen, though the blue blood on the floor indicates his earlier presence. 

“I’m so sick of you underestimating me,” Scott says and reaches for his sidearm. He’s definitely more assertive now, and it’s clear that the discussion is over. Time stands still and Scott thinks about whom to take down first. Most dangerous, of course, is Drack, but he’s too slow.

“Ryder,” Reyes speaks again, dangerously quiet. “Do it.”

He doesn’t aim for Drack. He makes one shot - straight to the right, uncovered by hair eye and Cora falls. In slowmo, like in the movies. Next is Liam, overemotional as usual - he tries to fight Scott after seeing what happened to XO. Drack follows. Krogans are not invincible, when one knows how to deal with them. Especially when they are more than a thousand years old. Vetra tries to run and Scott follows when a familiar accented voice makes him stop. 

“That’s okay, Scott.”

He turns. 

“I’m with you. I’m here. Follow my voice. Follow me.”

Heart tries to jump out of his chest, pulse is frantic, and he’s drunk with adrenaline, ready to run and finish his job. But Reyes - suddenly not tied or beaten - holds his hand and doesn’t let him go. 

“Listen to my voice, Scott. Breathe,” he repeats, kindly and softly, no trace of previous murderous notes. So, Scott listens and breathes. 

***

He woke up with a start, gasping for air like he was electrocuted. Reyes, sitting with his back up against the headboard, just held him tight, not letting to jump off the bed. 

“Bad dream?” he asked, like nothing happened. His face was fine, no blood or bruises, his warm eyes reflecting lights from night illumination. 

“Yep. Me, shooting down practically all of my squad because they tried to hurt you,” Scott shared his dream with no second thoughts. He lifted his hand and touched Reyes’ cheek - just to make sure. 

“Wow,” Reyes sounded totally unimpressed. “Sounds horrifying.”

“You say. I had to choose between you and them,” it took him some time to start speaking about his nightmares with ease. At first, he even had avoided sleeping with Reyes in the same bed - just not to scare him away. “And I chose you.” 

“It’s quite surprising and touching. Thank you,” Reyes kissed him on a temple - not even a kiss, just a press of the lips to clammy skin.

He rubbed his shoulder, like trying to warm Scott a bit. _“Surprising”_ , sure. Though Scott had already got used to the fact that Reyes was constantly surprised even by such small signs of affection, so he let it slide. “I hope you do understand that such a situation is totally impossible in real life, right?”

Scott got comfortable on Reyes’ shoulder and signed, heavier than he intended.

“I’m not sure, Reyes,” it wasn’t their first and surely not the last discussion, so Scott knew that Reyes knew, and he could be honest. “It seemed so… real.”

He suddenly got back into the nightmare - the feeling of desolation and despair, like ice had got broken under his feet and he would get drowned in icy black water. He clenched his teeth and clung to Reyes’ t-shirt, stretching soft material.

Side effects of integration with AI would scare off almost anyone, but not Reyes. So, he just turned Scott and made him lie in a crook of his elbow. It felt like he got the kitten out of cold icy water - calmly and surely.

“Come on,” Reyes tucked Scott in a blanket, carefully checking for any uncovered areas. “First of all, they are not stupid and wouldn’t try to get me like that, on your watch. And I would deal with them myself, you know.”

He was speaking slowly and soothingly, like telling a bedtime story to a kid. Which was discordant with what he actually said. His gaze was warming, with a hint of anxiety though. 

“Are you saying that you’d deal with my entire team on your own?” Scott now was smiling sleepily. Reyes definitely knew how to bring him back to normal really fast.

“How dare you to question my abilities?” 

“No, on the contrary,” Scott was fighting a healthy yawn. “But... are you not scared by…”

“Your newly developed issue? No, why? I have my fair share of nightmares,” he paused. It was obvious that to get nightmares one had to sleep in the first place. “And if you ask me, your dream about eating Sara in the womb was much creepier than this.”

Scott chuckled and closed his eyes. 

“Yep, wouldn’t argue on that. And do you remember that one, when I was in a grave full of colonists’ corpses on Eos, tried to get out and they started to pull me back?”

“That’s unforgettable, right,” Reyes made himself comfortable. “My liver remembers it too, by the way. I almost became a colonist's corpse myself when you hit me.”

Scott had to hide his laugh in Reyes’ chest - it wasn’t the best idea to wake his crew with his roar. 

“The only thing that concerns me,” Reyes said with sudden seriousness, “is how you react to… all this.”

“How can I not react? You versus the collective - sorry, no pun intended - and I can’t help you at all. You must be concerned about this, admit. Simple human desire to be the part of the group and something like that?”

“The only thing that concerns me is your concern,” Reyes said dismissively. It appeared that nothing like simple and human was applicable to him. “It’s not a conflict, why would you say that? Conflict means some antagonism, and enemy actions. And I’m not doing anything like that, for now, at least.”

Scott signed, but Reyes clearly misinterpreted it.

“I’m not a newbie in a class no one wants to sit with, Scott,” he was still speaking in a low voice, but Scott could feel steel in it. “I’m grown ass man and honestly, don’t give a fuck about your subordinates state of mind. It should be healthy and productive, and I’m working on it, by the way, but I have no desire to sing songs with them or invent some secret greetings.”

“Liam plays a guitar quite decently,” Scott smiled.

“Too much information, Ryder. Can we turn off the lights now?”

“I’m… afraid to go back to sleep,” Scott signed, even as he was hardly awake now, especially when Reyes confirmed that he was not gonna break up with him due to nightmares and disagreements with his team. He just wanted to stay with this Reyes - warm, alive and happy - a little bit more. 

“Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?”

He understood, of course he understood.

“Oh, no. If you’ll start singing, we’ll have to fuck.”

“Do you find my voice arousing, Scott?” Reyes got closer, so his hot lips were touching Scott’s ear. His hand at the same time was stroking Scott’s chest and Ryder realised that voice was the least of his problems.

“Are you kidding me? I don’t understand, how can you live with such a voice at all,” Scott looked up, searching for the kiss, but got only a warm breath. “I didn’t notice till now that you always sing something, especially when you’re in a good mood. So, I’m sitting just in here, filling my reports and guess what - get a boner. Because my boyfriend is in such a good mood, changing our bedding. That’s hardly fair, you know.”

“Go to sleep, Ryder,” he laughed mildly, a hot breath tickled the top of Scott’s head. “Or I’ll have to take actions.”

“Are you threatening me? That’s even more arousing.”

“You gotta be kidding me.”

“Nope. That’s all your fault.”

“Old gypsy cursed me when I was a child,” Reyes signed. “I just have to live with it.”

Scott giggled and tried to find a soft spot as if Reyes was a pillow to no avail.

“You know, I used to think that I fell for you so hard because we were not seeing each other often. All this long distance relationship and so on,” Scott confessed. It was hard to think and speak clearly as his mind was drifting asleep, but he continued. “But no. Now we are together almost all the time and it didn’t pass, even grew bigger, you know. I’m thinking of you all the time, can’t get you out my head. And I don’t want to, really. So… Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Want me, of course.”

“I have a feeling this is a tricky question.”

“Well, we are not sleeping anyway, so… Why not?” Scott tried to reach out and caress Reyes but failed and it looked more like a tender touch on the arm. 

Reyes laughed.

“I prefer to have sex when at least two persons are involved, and you are practically asleep, Scott.”

“But… theoretically speaking?”

“Scott, will you sleep already? Insatiable man.”

“You want me, admit it.”

“Let’s return to it in the morning, how about that?”

Scott laughed, and surrendered to sleepiness, that felt more and more like some kind of intoxication. He unconsciously held his breath when Reyes let him go to switch off the lights and then happily signed, when those hands returned. It was quite a mystery to him how he lived without this warmth and steadiness before. 

***

“Are we having problems?”

Scott knew that Reyes wasn’t sneaking on him intendedly - it was his usual manner of moving around, but still jumped a bit on having heard his voice. 

“That’s none of your business, Vidal,” Liam spat half-heartedly, more out of habit. “Crew only meeting, so get out of the bridge.”

“With all due respect,” Reyes smiled “Not that I’ll be able to leave the Tempest in case of emergency, so… I believe this is my business too.”

He was in his usual outfit - joggers and Scott’s t-shirt - and looked incredibly homey. His look was completed by a grey warm robe (where did he even get it?) and Scott’s favourite mug with duckling. Only an impending catastrophe held Scott from taking Reyes back to their quarters immediately. Especially since Scott’s t-shirt was a bit too short so everyone could see the line of golden skin between the hem and waistband of Reyes’ joggers. 

“We have a huge Scourge wall in our way, and by huge, I mean… Really huge, it will take years to find a way around. And we are getting closer to it really-really fast.”

Reyes nodded with a scowl, as in understanding.

“And of course, we can’t change the course and go somewhere else?”

“We can and that's what I’m talking about,” Gil quipped but Reyes ignored him as his eyes were on Ryder.

“The source of the signal is on the other side, so…”

“Understood”

He didn’t say anything else, but Scott heard some disappointment in that one word, and immediately felt guilty. Like he let Reyes down. Not that it was a time for self-deprecating thoughts, so Scott chased the feeling away and looked at his crew. They were all deadly serious. 

“I’m telling you,” PeeBee continued with her previous ideas now that she had additional ears, “we can analyse the patterns of the whirling and based on that calculate how far this wall goes… Or a veil, or I don’t know…”

“Or we can just choose the destination and go by parallel course to this cloud. It will end at some point,” Core interrupted. “We’ve never faced such huge patches of Scourge, why do we assume that this one is different?”

“Agree,” Vetra said from her corner and it was about the third word she said in all the discussion.

“Because SAM scanned it and it is different,” Scott was slowly losing his cool. “This cloud is thin, but enormously huge. Like a really big veil, yes.” 

“Maybe, SAM can calculate the route through it?” Liam said. “Like when we were going to Aya?”

“Don’t you think we haven’t tried it already? There is no straight way through. There are some lacunas, but all are dead ended. And we tried your way too, Peebs, to no avail. There is no system there.”

“Of course, there is no system, because it is a system of systems and we have to find…”

“A way around,” Cora concluded.

“You are overcomplicating it, PeeBee,” Reyes suddenly said, and everyone went silent. “And you, Harper, oversimplifying.”

“I see the Great Charlatan has a better idea?” Liam asked and by the crossed hands on his chest Scott understood that he was going to argue. 

Reyes shrugged and clearly didn’t buy Liam’s bait. He turned so now he was watching rows of golden dust, standing in some strange pattern. It was like some evil space mind had built some impenetrable wall to stop them. Or maybe it was not a guess, and someone had really done that.

Scott didn’t want to think about it. To be honest, he wanted to admire the reflection of golden dust in already golden eyes. Or to drop on the floor and sleep for a week at least. Or just to take Vidal back to their quarters because Reyes didn’t play foul on his nightly promise. Desire hit in a heavy wave, so Scott gulped and licked his lips. And of course, judging for twinkle in his eyes, Reyes noticed, how could he not?

“The Scourge is not some impenetrable material, not a brick wall,” he started, “so the ship won’t fall into pieces just from touching it.” 

He now had undivided attention of all present on the bridge, including Liam.

“It reacts on electricity, to put it simply,” Reyes continued. “And destroys everything that has any trace of it. So, we can turn everything off, and by everything I mean literally everything, so we just move under our momentum. If we get enough velocity now - will be on the other side in no time. We can even change our trajectory if needed - by using chassis pneumatics. Simple mechanics, no electrical impulses at all.”

“With all due respect, are you nuts or something?” PeeBee broke the silence with a clearly rhetorical question. 

Reyes shrugged again. 

“Weighted and calculated risk stops being a risk, you know.”

“And you… weighted and calculated everything in what, two minutes?”

“I think fast.”

“He does,” Scott added.

“Peebs, wait,” Gil came closer to the console as if he wanted to take a better look on the obstacle in front of him. “It can work, I guess. No fields - no reaction to fields. Makes sense.”

“Gil, Reyes is undeniably gorgeous, but not enough to die because of his stupid ideas.”

“It’s not stupid,” Jaal said. “I think I’ve read something about such things. It was called “sailing” in old travellers’ books.”

Everyone fell silent again. 

“We won’t be able to turn off just everything,” Kallo said softly. He didn’t take part in the previous discussion, staying in his chair and lightly caressing helm controls. Like petting some scared animal. “Reserve systems, bridge terminals, emergency network…”

“Two words, my friend,” Reyes smiled. He was quite friendly with the pilot, the only one of the Tempest crew aside from Scott, and Ryder couldn't explain this sudden affection. “Fire alarm.”

“Oooooh,” Kallo drawled in awe. Scott was really hoping that he understood what Reyes meant. Because he didn’t get in, not in the slightest. Luckily for him, Reyes explained.

“We can activate the sensors in several spots at once, and to reduce the chance of explosion everything will shut down, from lights to coolers. We’ll have only emergency marks on the floor and airlock - but it’s pneumatic, so no problem here. And the escape pod won’t be switched off, but since it’s somewhere on PAS-10, it’s not a problem either.”

“See, PeeBee, your crazy stunt finally paid off,” Vetra said and Scott was sure, judging by the sound of her voice, that she fully approved Reyes’ suicide idea.

“Fuck off, Nyx,” PeeBee snapped, clearly offended. “I haven’t heard any bright ideas from you”

“Why bother, if smart people will come up with something?” Vetra stood straight. “I’m worried about pyjak, though.”

“Throw him out of the airlock,” Drack was clearly looking forward to the opportunity to die in an enormous space explosion. 

“I’ll give it sedative,” Lexi was definitely coming to team gatherings just for a chance to inject someone with something.

“And we’ll probably freeze to death,” Suvi’s voice was full of eerie exultation.

“Reactor produces enough energy to keep us warm for some time,” Kallo answered. “I guess.”

“So, everything depends on the correctness of SAM’s calculations,” Ryder summarized. 

< _There is no chance for any errors in my calculations, Scott,_ > AI sounded a bit… offended? < _It’s verified by the data received from our drones. If we keep constant velocity the obstacle will be overpassed in two standard hours._ >

“Well, that’s it,” Reyes nodded, clearly unperturbed by the whole situation. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I should go, make some chores in the captain's quarters. The Pathfinder, to be honest, tends to make a mess here and there and in case we fail - I’d prefer to die in a clean place.”

He gave them all a short salute and left, like nothing happened.

For a moment, the room was utterly silent, everyone just watched Reyes leave. 

Cora was the first to gain back her senses.

“Ryder,” she waited till Scott turned and caught his eyes. “Who the fuck is he?”

“Why are you asking me?” Scott suddenly realised that it was something he wanted to understand too, especially since he got a chance to watch Reyes in close quarters recently. “You can just go and ask him. He doesn’t bite.”

“Does he?”

***

It was a strange feeling - like a circle of yellow light from a table lamp separated him from his surroundings, like he was on an island, miles and miles away from Scott, nested on their bed, or the Tempest crew. 

Reyes didn’t want to sleep - strictly speaking, he was beyond sleepiness, numb and tired to a bone. It was getting harder and harder to think, thoughts were like heavy bricks and he was slowly moving them around his brain.

“Why are you still up,” Scott’s voice, raspy from sleep, reached his ears four hours into the night cycle and Reyes didn’t even understand who was speaking at first. By this moment SAM had given his recommendations to call a day several times already. 

“I need to finish Keema’s speech, she will be speaking in the Parliament,” he blinked heavily and stretched, chasing away muscle’s numbness, then gave a look to a SAM’s sphere. Answering scowl was, probably, just his imagination. “Need some more time - I want to send it before we go through, who knows when we’ll be back online. Or if we will at all. Go back to sleep, I’ll join you asap.”

“What’s…” Scott yawned but didn’t lose his thought. “What’s up with the speech?”

“It’s in English and Shelesh, to begin with. Situation is ambiguous and not quite simple, so I need to think of some nuisances.”

Scott yawned again and got out of the bed. 

He returned in a few minutes with a steaming cup of cappuccino and a small bar of dark chocolate. 

“You are codling me, Scott,” his voice carried a stupid tiny bit of displeasure. 

“Just don’t stay up too late, will you?” Ryder landed a kiss on his brow and breathed in the smell of his hair. “Everyone must sleep, even you.”

“Fine,” Reyes resigned. “Thank you, Scott.”

All he got for an answer was Scott’s sleepy smile and a tender kiss, on the lips this time, before the man retreated to bed. 

“Hey, Ryder,” Reyes called, and Scott looked up from his blankets nest. “I love you; you know?”

“I know,” he smiled and fell asleep probably the very same moment.

Super ability, right. 

***

He abruptly stopped in the doors of biolab, met by a piercing stare of the XO’s deep brown eye. Another one was hidden under a long wave of hair. 

Reyes found Cora’s hairstyle impractical but kept his opinion to himself. Pointless quarrel was not something he was aiming for right now.

“What?” she asked when it became clear that he didn’t get the wrong door.

“Just wanted to offer my help. With the plants.” Reyes gave her his best smile, but it didn’t work. “Everyone is busy, doing something and I don’t have anything to take care about. Except Scott, so… You can use me as a brute force.”

“I think I’m fine. We have enough time.”

Reyes lingered in the door, watching Cora’s attempts to move some construct. It looked like an enormous grow-box, filled with numerous lamps, hygrometers and other stuff. The only occupant of the construction was half-alive rose bush. 

“You know, my mom used to have lots of plants at home,” he said leaning against the door. “And she… not that she didn’t take care of them, more like… she let them grow. She said it was important to feel the plant's needs, not follow the instructions. And that each of it had its own personality.”

“Just for your information - this is probably the only rose bush in this Galaxy, Mr. Vidal,” Cora’s tone was so cold, like he offered to start another mutiny. “I can’t just “let it grow”, as you said.”

The last thing Reyes wanted was another “discussion”, but he had to try for Scott’s well-being. 

“You know better, of course, but look at it. It’s like a high security prison, poor guy is looking sick.”

“I guess, right now it will probably die in an explosion with all us in a couple of hours.”

“Are all crew members such optimists?” Reyes smiled and looked around to find some other clue. He almost momentarily saw something of interest. “And what is that? I get it’s not potatoes.”

He got closer to the box in the far corner of the room and inspected a row of apple-sized brown bulbs, taking one. 

“You are not really interested and just try to get on my good side, are you?” Harper still tried to move the grow box, with no success. Reyes thought that he’d use biotics but kept his mouth shut. And Cora was mistaken - his interest was genuine.

He played with not-potato, throwing it up and catching back, smirking at Cora’s terrified expression. She clearly tried to stop herself from taking up a strange bulb and probably giving Reyes several jabs in ribs. 

“That’s something valuable, right? Come on, tell me.”

“That’s _Stephania Suberosa_ and _Stephania Pierrei_. It’s caudex plants with well known medicinal properties. They are adaptable and… beautiful.”

“Let me guess - the last point is the most valuable for you,” he gave Cora an honest smile. That was motivation he could contemplate with. “Not that I can really understand the beauty of this girasole.”

“It’s not a whole plant, just caudex. They are… asleep now and it’s extremely hard to wake them up. And when they will wake - it will be beautiful, like a waterfall of hydrophobic leaves, cascades of green. Caudex plants keep water and nutrients in hypocotyl, so they don’t even need soil at first. It’s like root and stem in one. Cool, right?”

“I didn’t understand a thing, to be honest. Just that you love these potatoes very much.”

“Like you love Ryder?” Harper gave him a real smile despite her sarcastic retort.

“I think, even more. I definitely wouldn’t stand Ryder sleeping for years and then growing off the waterfall of hydrophobic leaves.”

Harper left her grow box and turned to face Reyes. Her stance was more relaxed, so he felt good about his chances.

“OK, cut the crap. I understand what you’re trying to do and let me make it clear - we are not going to be friends, but I don’t hold a grudge against you. It’s just… Your methods. “Charlatan’s smile”, for example.”

Reyes signed. This was a sore spot, and he hated it even more than Keema’s constant whining about Massani, but he wanted to get this done.

“Ryder was concerned about this too, so I’ll tell you the same thing I told him,” he looked straight into her eyes, still holding a potato in his palm - as a hostage. It was nice to touch - warm and coarse. “I’m not a big fan of the excessive creativity of my subordinates and would love to have a bunch of knights in shining armours like you or Scott, without fear and reproach and sadistic stride, but. I must work with what I have, and I have to deal with unstable people, some of them have that cryostasis disease you found on Elaaden; others are just conformists. So, yes, I don’t like these methods. And no, I’m not going to cry about it and stop all operations.” 

Her stare grew even heavier, and Reyes thought that maybe he was a little bit too honest.

“You know, I didn’t like what you just said. But. I liked that you said it. Because you could give me a pretty lies about your consciousness and taken measures, and you didn’t. So, I like it.”

“If you let me, I’ll take your words as first sprouts of trust, growing through the ice of our relationship,” he smiled and played with the bulb again. “And speaking about sprouts. “Sleeping” doesn’t mean “not growing”, right? It’s just these small green bumps on this potato….”

“Where?!” Cora wiped away the caudex from his fingers and carefully inspected it. Her face lit up with joy.

“Congrats,” he said. “Let’s go? I’ll take your potatoes.” 


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tempest team is not in Kansas any more, or what have they found behind the veil of Scourge.  
> Reyes builds some bridges, Scott learns something new about his partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter is done. Comments and kudos are highly appreciated.   
> All mistakes are mine, so if you see something terrible - feel free to let me know ;)

“You know, guys, I wonder,” Gil stated. “Are we going to freeze or to suffocate?”

He was sitting near his work bench left to core and his voice was all too loud in the silence of the room. 

“What nonsense!” Kallo muttered from the other end of the room. “Suffocate, of course.”

Reyes stayed silent, but lips pressed to Scott’s clammy temple, held a smile. He was a perfect warmer, and steady beat of his heart was a similar perfect distraction from scary sounds of almost-dead vessel. Along with Drack’s thunderous snoring. 

“And I think we’ll explode,” cheerfully said PeeBee from her corner. She finally stopped sulking about not being allowed to fly around in zero-g. 

“Why?” Reyes asked with laziness, like he didn’t want to waste energy.

Cora, who looked like some forest witch due to numerous plant boxes around, gave a doleful sigh. She clutched some brownish bulb in her palm carefully, like it was a dragon egg or something.

“Because you two are definitely breaking “no electricity” rule,” PeeBee giggled and kicked up her legs, hanging in her harness. “I swear, Ryder’s voltage is about 3 volts, like Cora’s potato, when you give him this gaze of yours.”

“How can you know what I’m doing? It’s sort of dark here.”

“Oh, I know, trust me. It’s… so intense, and piercing. I think I got caught too. Collateral damage, you know,” she actually giggled.

“Forget it,” Scott hugged Reyes even stronger than before. “Those looks are for me only. And don’t call me a potato!”

“Oh, shut it, Ryder. By the way, I saw him first, if you don’t remember.”

“Sorry, PeeBee, it wouldn’t work out anyway,” Reyes added with a hint of mock tragedy in his voice.

“Hey, shut up!,” Kallo shouted, losing his temper. “We’re short on oxygen, if you hadn’t noticed.”

The following silence was full of some barely contained stupid childish joy, even with the scary sound of chattering steps, coming from the next room. 

Suvi came in and went straight to the core, rubbing her frozen hands. Chemiluminescent stick, hanging like a collar on her neck, highlighted her face in unnatural way. Shadows of her hair were dancing on the walls, making Scott uncomfortable on some primal level. It appeared, he was a little afraid of the darkness. Or, to be precise - not the darkness itself, but of those things it was hiding.

“Are we done yet?” Cora asked with a hint of irritation. She still didn’t like Reyes’ plan, so her mood was fitting. 

“No, but we’re almost there,” Suvi answered and sniffed. “It’s too cold on the bridge now, so Jaal shooed me off, but you know… It’s amazing. Like floating through alive neuron network, and it lives, moves around, like some kind of dance… Even if I am to die of pneumonia now - it was so worth it.”

“You’ll have to try really hard to die under my care, Suvi,” Lexi mumbled sleepily and dove back into her sleeping bag. 

“Come here, I’ll warm you in no time,” Gil said and opened his blanket embrace. It looked like wings, immediately going up as soon as Gil let them.

Suvi just smiled and a smile was a bit scary due to uneven light. 

And then something rumbled so loudly, that Ryder jumped and probably slightly strangled Reyes, who, on the other hand, stayed eerily calm. He just kissed Scott’s temple and carefully relinquished Scott’s hold on his neck.

“Don’t worry, we are not falling to pieces,” he whispered. “It’s a generator.”

And then the lights turned on.

Tempest returned to life - coolers and fans, lamps and doors- everything started moving and making so familiar and calming noises. 

Reyes unclasped the belts, picked hamster’s aquarium and got up. Scott followed, still holding tight - body felt a bit alien and he was concerned about his ability to walk right away. Normal gravity was comforting and air suddenly felt refreshing and clean.

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, congratulations,” Gil said, lazily stretching under his blanket. “We are not in Kansas anymore.”

***

It was still cold on the bridge, so Scott immediately regretted not bringing a warm knitted cap from home. 

“We’ve got three developments,” Suvi informed from her seat and it was obvious that she really wanted to share. “Good one, bad one and unusual one…”

“Good one, I believe, is that we made it in one piece?” Ryder crossed his hands over his chest, really hoping that he looked heroic and fearless rather than suffering from cold and trying to stop shivering, like he actually was. 

“Four developments, then,” Suvi smiled. She was not cold at all and it was quite strange. “Good - we made it in one piece and SAM restored our connections. Bad - we lost the Keelah Si’yah signal.”

“And unusual?”

“SAM started a scan and… Ryder, it’s a myriad of interesting stuff here. Planets, asteroids, even comet. Look for yourself.”

She was right - it was a lot to look into. And, surprisingly, no sights of the Scourge. 

“So what’s the plan?”

“Who are we?” Scott shrugged. “Pathfinders, so…”

“Where do we start then?”

“Let me think, so many opportunities…” he shuffled through the data on the screen. “Maybe this one? With the water on the surface, you know?”

“What, want to meet some new race?” Scott was almost sure that Suvi was overdosed with coffee, not that he really minded. She was in her own right, after all.

“Well, it worked for us once, so…”

“Very well,” she started to type in coordinates. “Here we go to no-name planetoid in the upper left corner.”

“Upper left corner?” Ryder lifted an eyebrow in exasperation. “Is that how we navigate? Kallo, who is this woman, have you even seen her credentials?”

“Don’t ask me, Ryder,” Kallo laughed. His spirits seemed to be lifted as well. “You humans are all… impostors. Look at Brodie. Claims to have a degree in engineering, but as for me - he’s just a tinker.”

“Kallo, don’t you start again,” Scott stepped away from the console and cast a guilty look at the terminal. He’d get to it. Later. Probably. “Course straight to the upper left corner. I’ll go do… captaining”

“Give Reyes our greetings,” Suvi said to his retreating back.

***

Once again, Reyes couldn’t sleep. Scott, on the other hand, was out like a light, so Vidal was not complaining. And he already knew how to fix this. 

This time Kosta went straight to the rowing machine and got himself busy for the whole ten minutes. 

“Are you planning a marathon?” he asked, probably out of boredom.

“Maybe. Do you have other suggestions?”

“Spar? I’ve been looking forward to kick your ass for quite some time now.”

Reyes made a deliberate laugh.

“Didn’t expect anything else from you, Kosta. Warm up, I’m almost done.”

Fight was short and unexciting. Reyes even thought for a moment that he was fighting with a child - tall and strong, but still.

Kosta played by the book - no dirty tricks, just the set of well-honed hits, like he was sparring with a colleague on the training. Reyes didn’t know how to fight like this. And even if he had known once - it was too long ago, before he realised that fair play is for short living fools. 

He was almost out of breath and missed several hits, when Kosta finally gave up and dropped on the mat after another foot sweep. 

“You are the most unprincipled creature in the cluster, Vidal. Or even in the whole universe.”

“You know, Kosta, if I were you, I’d try to learn something new, not to whine about it.” Reyes dropped on the floor too. “That’s the main difference between us.”

“Are you saying that I’m ineducable?”

“I’m saying you are whiner. And once again, if I were you, I’d be showing more respect to a person who is going to be a favourite uncle for your future kids.”

“Like I’ll let you even get close to them.”

“Are you?” Reyes gave him a lopsided smile. “And have you discussed this question with their potential mother? And this, by the way, is the second difference - I never make serious assumptions without proper rationaling.”

“Fine,” Kosta said in a few seconds. “Tell me how you do it.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Come on,” Liam snorted and made himself comfortable. “I’m in my top conditions and you are… an old drunk. You are fast, I’ll give you that, but I’m younger and stronger.”

“Old drunk?” Reyes laughed again, honestly this time. “That's a fair statement. And it’s pretty simple - you are fighting like a cop.”

“Well, I am a cop, smartass, so what?”

“Let me finish. You are fighting like a cop so anyone, who's been in at least one fight with cops before knows what to do. It’s instinct for you - immobilize and neutralize, no permanent damage. You’re not in the line of duty, no one will sue you for a broken nose.”

“You know that if I break your nose, Ryder will skin me alive?”

“Precisely, my friend,” Reyes didn’t take a bait. “But if we are talking about life and death situations - you don’t think about professional ethics then. And if it’s not about life or death - why start fighting at all?”

“Unprincipled bastard.”

“Maybe, but, mind you, still alive. I’m not a paragon of virtue, right, but I’ll gouge out an eye with no second thought. And you didn’t even try to kick my balls. Just like Man City in 2115. You must change your tactical approach accordingly, and not just hold to a hope that a strong right wing and genial goalkeeper will do all the work for you.”

Kosta lifted his eyes, clearly interested. Reyes held his gaze and put a scoring mark in his mind’s eye.

“Chelsea fan, are you?”

“That’s a capital offence, even more serious than an “old drunk”, you know.” Reyes pretended to be exasperated.

Kosta laughed and Reyes smiled to himself. Another point checked.

He got to bed closer to the morning, exhausted but content. Feeling of his freshly showered body next to warm Ryder was pleasant so he fell asleep with a smile. Ryder didn’t wake, just mumbled something incoherent and tugged him in a strong embrace, like a teddy bear.

***

“We restored a signal and it leads to something like a space station,” Ryder didn’t quite understand, why he was giving Reyes a detailed report, but it felt right somehow. “Hybrid, like Meridian - partially constructions, partially - land. Can’t even imagine how the Ark got there. Hopefully, we’ll see in a few days.”

“Interesting,” Reyes’ intonation made it clear - he was not interested in a slightest. 

Scott moved closer to Reyes, who occupied his desk and terminal, and made himself comfortable on a couch. 

“I know I promised not to ask, but…” He paused and continued. “Who are you? I mean, who you were, before all this Andromeda story? I can’t get these thoughts out of my head lately.”

“Hmm.”

“Spectre?” 

Reyes hummed again, with ease and Scott realised that he won’t hear anything definite anyway.

“Well…” He turned away from the terminal to give Scott a direct look. “Let’s put it this way - Spectres are swords. And I was more of a scalpel.”

Scott fell silent for a few seconds, taking in the information, took a deep breath and nodded. Scalpel it was.

“Fine.”

“Fine?”

“Yep. I really don’t give a shit about it, but guys… worry. Cora finds it strange that you do everything just perfect.”

Reyes arched an eyebrow and it looked incredibly sexy. 

“Maybe I just don’t do things I’m not good at?”

“And that’s exactly Cora’s point,” Scott smiled. “It appears all you can is knit together gangs, stage coups and organize murders. Not that I care, of course.”

“Very well,” Reyes returned to his datapad. “That’s all that matter to me. And if I were you, I’d consider Harpers overthinking and over questioning.”

“Don’t blame her - it’s clear that you didn’t work as a truck driver.”

Reyes suddenly turned pale, with his eyes wide open and breath held.

“You are kidding me,” Scott squinted. “Really?”

Vidal held it for a whole thirty seconds before breaking into laughter. He scooted closer to Scott. 

“You are so sweet,” he managed through the laugh. “Come here, let me kiss you.”

“Fuck off,” Ryder pouted and slapped away Reyes’ hand. “It’s not funny that I know close to nothing about you, actually. Maybe you have a wife and three kids somewhere.”

“Don’t worry,” Reyes stopped laughing, but still tried to get a hold on Scott. “No kids.”

Scott felt dreadful. He stared blankly, like Reyes just a few moments ago, but did it sincerely.

“And… wife?” he asked carefully, thoughts jumping like rabbits inside his head.

This time Reyes managed to stay serious for ten seconds, tops. His quiet laugh was infectious, though Scott did want to hit that smug face. Maybe even several times, to make a statement.

“There was no wife, ever. Relax,” Reyes at last said, tears shining in the corners of his eyes. “But your face, Ryder… Two times along. Two!” 

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Scott stretched on the couch. “At least now I know that you are not-a-truck-driver bachelor. And a good actor, by the way.”

“I’m good at welding too, by the way,” Reyes noticed. “And who, do you think, I could’ve been?”

Scott dangled his legs as if it would help him thinking. He should’ve feel offended, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel that way. Absence of a wife and children along with happy and smiling Reyes made things easier to condemn. 

“I’d say you were a barrister. You know, a really cool guy in an expensive suit, with the haircut worth attorney's month pay check. Charming scoundrel, getting rich jerks out of justice hands like it’s a child’s play.”

Reyes laughed again. It was such a pleasant sound, so Ryder decided to get it out of Reyes as often as possible, even if he had to use some fowl blows like tickling.

“Your tendency to demonize me is a bit disturbing. Along with everlasting love to old school Earth mass media.”

“Look who’s talking,” Scott smiled. “Rogue-1, are we?”

“Guilty as charged.”

“So, what did you dream about?”

“Well… As a child I wanted to be a private detective. Like Humphrey Bogart in “The Maltese Falcon”. Have a soft spot for all these noir outfits - hats, vests, coats… And femme fatales with deadly secrets.”

“It wouldn’t suit you, I think.”

“Why, is it because of my origins?”

“No, because you are not a cynical drunk with depression and PTSD.”

“If you insist,” Reyes smiled and returned to his previous occupation, fingers flying over data pad controls. Scott fell silent too and just watched, fascinated by their calculated movements.

“This is all so strange,” he muttered after some time.

Reyes didn’t look up, just lifted his eyebrows in a silent question.

“It’s just… I’ve never been living with someone. Like living living, longer than a couple of days.” Scott sat up again. “And I was so worried - thought, that maybe our relations are just this long distance thing - when we don’t see each other often, you know? Always free for each other, ready for sex… And this thing - living together - it’s entirely different, right?”

Reyes didn't say anything, just made some incoherent sound, acknowledging Scott’s words. 

“So… Now it’s all different. You are always here, like now - just sit and? What are you doing, by the way?”

“Sort my emails.”

“And isn’t it easier to, y’know, just read them?”

“Easier. When, y’know, you have four of them in your inbox,” he made a small smile and Scott once again felt himself a complete fool. 

“This is all so unreal.”

“You should do it too, by the way,” Reyes completely ignored Scott’s last phrase. “Letters came in an avalanche after connection was restored, and since we have shared disk space - we are risking to run out of it.”

Scott smiled.

“I hate this. No, seriously, don’t flout. At first I don’t have time, and then there are too much letters so… It’s easier just to make a new mailbox.”

“The almighty Pathfinder can’t tame his own mails. Sorry, I’ll be flouting.”

“The almighty Pathfinder can. But hates to.”

“Fine, you, poor soul. Come here,” Reyes changed position and patted his thigh invitingly. 

Scott didn’t need to be asked twice and moved to sit on Reyes’ lap, hugging him and opening his mailbox.

“I didn’t live with anyone till now too,” Reyes said quietly, eyes on Scott’s mailbox. Ryder took a chance and hid his face in man’s hair. “But you know what? I didn’t want to.”

Scott was caressing short hairs on Reyes’ nape, while he finished with his work mailbox and asked to switch for personal.

“Well,” he said, clearly enjoying the result of his work. “One spam and attachments heap is cleared. Why on earth did someone send you three huge archives with firearms photos?”

Scott didn’t answer - he found himself staring at Reyes with no intention to stop. Reyes caught his gaze and smiled.

“Don’t worry, Ryder,” he held his eyes for a second and returned to sorting. “Everything will be fine. Where should I put offers to have your kids or just have sex?”

“Are there a “Check later” folder?” Ryder had to clear his throat before speaking.

“I can create “Condolences” one,” Reyes frowned. “Or even two, because the untimely death of the pathfinder will probably result in the wave of letters.”

Scott chuckled. Reyes’ was deliberately grumpy, but his eyes held something that made his skin tingle.

He tugged the strays of hair he was playing with, making Reyes lift his face. He wanted to get a better look at that something, staring into golden eyes, smiling, but thinking about something primal and dangerous. Something with claws and fangs and hunger. 

Like an answer to these thoughts, Reyes' gaze changed, turning from amber to molten steel, and his fingers dug into Scott’s thigh.

“I hope you deleted them?” Scott asked quietly, afraid to break this bubble.

“Like you needed to ask,” Reyes licked his lips and it was more than enough.

He bit Scott while kissing - not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough to make his point, and Scott’s knees turned to jelly.

“Get undressed.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tempest ground team finally arrives to a source of the signal, while Scott and Reyes talk about future...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot (or resemblance of it) thickens. Comments are love ^)  
> And we finally earned E rating ;)

Reyes looks down, where his hips again and again meet Scott’s already pink ass cheeks, and increases tempo. Ryder shifts, lifting himself, and moans, loudly and shamelessly. Reyes speeds up his movements even more, and stops only when his muscles scream in protest. So he withdraws and gives his partner a long lick from balls to sacrum.

Scott chokes on a moan and spreads his legs even wider. Reyes adds more lube and enters him again, rougher this time and changing the angle a bit. Scott shifts again, losing last ounces of control and Reyes has to hold him down, smiling at his partner's impatience.

“There?” he asks.

“Yes,” Scott breathes out with another moan. “Yessss, Reyessssss…”

Scott’s body is hot and tight, and the sensations are just overwhelming. Reyes is not sure if he’ll be able to hold on with his own release. He knows this heavy longing in Scott’s lower back and tries to chase it away with his lips, teeth and fingers, kissing and biting pliant flesh – anything to save this feeling. He wants to keep Scott on the edge a bit longer, but suddenly Ryder shudders, biting his own hand. Pressure increases and Reyes smiles, slamming into Scot again and again, if just slightly slower than before.

Ryder came twice by now – first time was when Reyes took him into his mouth and Scott didn’t even have time to get off his pants.

Vidal tries to hold off his own release a bit longer and concentrates on taste and smell and touch. Concentrates on the way the hairs on the nape of Scott´s neck rise, when he bites his shoulder. On the way Ryder tries to get hold on something and fails, clutching on bedding with trembling fingers. 

“Reyes,” Scott hisses again and tries to wiggle away. Reyes, of course, doesn't let him and holds his body firmly against his own. “Stop, please, I can’t.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure you can,” Reyes purrs and kisses the skin behind his ear. “Come on, one more time.”

“Let me take a breather?”

“No.”

He smiles, and the smile is not comforting, it’s kind of cruel even. He continues to move, and Scott stubbornly keeps himself silent, hiding face into the pillow and crumpling the bed sheet, like he’s not enjoying the process at all. But sure, soon enough he gives up and his moans become even louder than before, body moving in sync with Reyes, hands eagerly spreading his buttocks to give better access. 

Reyes bites his lip, concentrating on his measured and precise movements, trying to get more moans from the man sprawled under him. Trying not to come just yet, to get more from Scott’s willing and hot body.

“Wait, Reyes. Wait,” Scott suddenly breathes out and Vidal stops moving, because of course he can tell when Scott’s being serious. He carefully moves away, slipping out of Ryder’s body, though can’t help himself and teases the opening with his tongue again. He licks and probes reddened flesh and Ryder makes a strange sound, something between laugh and whine, like he can’t decide, if he’s hurt or ticklish. 

He turns on his back and Reyes stares in awe, forgetting to breathe. Scott’s so beautiful, like this – covered with his own come, cheeks flushed, sweaty hairs sticking to his brow. And then he smiles and spreads his legs and Reyes doesn't need any other invitations. 

Now he moves slowly, lazily even, like waves against the shore, because he knows somehow – that’s what Ryder wants. Reyes can’t go deep in this position, but, on the other hand, he can lick and nip Scott’s neck and kiss him, too.

At some point he moves away from almost unbearable heat and closes his fingers on his exposed throat. Not choking, only claiming what’s his. It seems enough for Scott, because he arches his back, screams and comes for the third time. Reyes follows, still inside him, locked in tight embrace. 

Scott moans, as if he feels Reyes’ orgasm like his own. Reyes shivers, while Scott covers his chin and neck with small kisses, caresses and scratches skin around his shoulder blades.

“Stay, I like it,” he says, when Reyes tries to lift himself off, tightens his embrace around another man’s body, and plants kisses on his brow and temple, makes a trail along the hairline, breathing in the smell. Vidal stays silent, like he’s stunned, still trying to catch his breath and calm his racing heart.

“Love you,” Scott whispers and buries his fingers in Reyes’ hair. “Love you so much.”

Reyes wants to say that he loves him too, he really does – but can’t get a word out, like some fairy-tale prince, enchanted by a wicked witch. He doesn’t know what else to say, he’s not even sure he can actually speak right now, so he just lifts himself enough to reach and kiss Scott properly. 

Before he had met Scott, he had no idea he liked kissing so much. 

When Ryder at last eases his bear hug, Reyes moves away, slipping from Scott´s body. He returns drops of his own come where they belong and smiles, when Scott moans. He licks his fingers clean with a wicked glint in his eyes and gets comfortable on his side. 

Ryder is a definition of wellfucked now, and Reyes loves this side of him – sleepy and content – most. 

***

Scott felt exhausted and well rested at the same time. Heated body, cooled under shower spray, was like a feather floating in zero-g.

“Fuck, Reyes…” Scott hid his face in pillows, unable to meet his partner's hypnotic eyes. “You are smart, and funny, and so many other things. And I don’t want you to think that it’s all about sex, but… Sex is mind blowing. Un-fucking-believable."

“I do my best,” Reyes smiled with obviously faked sheepishness. 

“No, I mean it. It’s like you know what I want even before I do,” Scott pushed Reyes on his back and scooted over. “It’s a pity you’re the only child. All this extravaganza – and for me only.”

Reyes snorted and just hugged Scott, like he had no desire to continue talking. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Scott asked, feeling a short pang of worry. He couldn’t kill Reyes’ mood praising his undeniable talents in bed, could he? 

“It’s nothing,” Reyes still wasn’t eager to keep up the conversation, but answered anyway. “Just… Kosta said that I shouldn’t be allowed to get near kids.”

“Oh, I second him for that,” Scott rested his hand on Reyes’ chest and scooted closer, putting his chin atop. “And you’d be a terrible father.”

“Oh really?” Reyes got into the play.

“Yep. If we have a boy, you’ll nag him like hell - sports, martial arts, languages - mini version of samurai . And you’ll spoil our girl, I'm sure,” Scott didn't even notice how his tone became wistful. “I can imagine - you, bringing potential boyfriends in the dark corner and explaining what exactly you’ll do to them if they just think about even touching your little princess.”

“Like you’d be better. You’d just spoil them both,” there was a smile in Reyes’ voice.

“Both? Are we planning at least two?”

“Twins, of course.”

“I’m afraid, another pair of Ryders would be too much for this galaxy.”

“Well, good for it, as it’ll be a pair of Vidals.”

Scott laughed quietly, and placed a kiss on his shoulder. 

“You know, this scares the shit out of me,” he admitted, voice barely above the whisper.

“Same here, or maybe even worse.” Reyes' voice was quiet too. “But you started it, so spill it – how do you see your future?”

“Future?” Question caught Scott by surprise. And made him a bit sad, though he understood that Reyes was serious. “Never gave it much thought. Some common things, I guess: house with a garden. Dog. Probably you. Something like that.”

“So I’m not only the last position in your list, but also a questionable one?” Reyes asked, still very kindly - probably realized that this whole conversation was hitting too close to the sore point.

“Dad always taught me to prioritize,” Scott got up and kissed the tip of Reyes’ nose. Reyes squinted.

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Sure you will. And what would you want?”

“Same, probably. Two dogs. House by the sea, actually – I really love seafood. Scallops, mussels, oysters.”

“Oysters, ewww. How can you even eat them – those disgusting cunts?”

“Come on, Scott, you’re bi too, what’s the problem with the cunts?” he turned on his side, so Scott was spooning him now, got comfortable with no intentions to move.

“Ewww, Reyes,” Scott laughed and when Reyes turned – kissed him again.

Conversation ended with Reyes’ throaty laugh, but despite being tired, Scott couldn’t sleep – something left unsaid kept bugging him.

“Reyes,” he called at last.

“Hmm?”

“Are you asleep?”

“Yes.”

“I just… I just wanted to say – if I’ll ever be ready to start a family and have kids… It would be only with you.”

Reyes signed deeply, and Scott hugged him, fearing that he would try to escape again somehow.

“Don’t answer, I know what you’ll say. That I’m too young, that these things are not no-brainer sfuff and you are not a right person, and we are all going to die soon anyway. I do understand all that, but I just wanted you to know.”

Reyes didn’t answer – there was nothing to say, only took Scott’s palm in his and put it over his heart. It was beating erratically.

***

After almost six weeks aboard – excluding a short visit to the nameless planetoid in the top left corner – Scott was eager to finally get some action. Even if all he could hope for out there were abandoned space station and probably another set of various injuries. 

Prospect of getting mentioned injuries with Reyes by his side, like ages ago during the battle for Meridian, was endearing. But it appeared that Reyes didn’t see it in the same way.

“Why are you not suited up?” he asked, checking over his team, geared and ready for action. Reyes, in his usual robe, looked like an old coach, giving final advice before the game.

“I’m not going. You need someone to guard the Tempest.”

“Well, we have Gil, Kallo, Lexi...” Ryder really didn’t want to voice his desire to have Reyes on the ground team.

“And how much fighting experience do they have?” Reyes eyed the content of his cup. “With all due respect, I’m staying.”

“Do you think there’s a possibility of attack?”

“Like you’ve never seen space horrors,” he smiled. “We have no even slightest idea what’s going on out there. So there are always possibilities.”

“I disagree,” Cora gave Reyes a heavy look.

He just rolled his eyes.

“Alright, Harper, I give up, you got me. I've been dating this psycho for two years, faked my own death and became a pilot way back on Earth just to have a chance to hijack your precious ship when you are not looking.”

“I agree, Cora, that’s too much.”

Pyjack jumped off the crate and climbed on Reyes’ shoulders, putting his tail around his neck. Scott decided it was a final vote and said:

“Fine, stay if you want. We won’t be there long, I presume, after all we have two civilians with us.”

“Hey!” PeeBee disagreed. “Did you just call me a civilian, huh? But if our only civilian is going to fill all those jars and bags - I wouldn't hope to be back any time soon.”

Suvi just shrugged.

“The more samples – the better. Are we going or what?”

***

“Spill it, Darling,” Reyes didn’t jump, of course, but stopped himself from reaching out for an imaginary gun at his hip. He probably should’ve stopped gloating over Scott’s reactions upon his own sneaking. For some time, at least. 

“I beg your pardon?” he nonchalantly turned to Gil.

“I have a feeling that you hold a grudge against me,” Brodie obviously didn’t buy it. “So spill it, what’s wrong.”

Reyes signed. He was literally cornered in the galley, and coffee was almost ready, judging from divine sounds from his “Bialetti”. 

_“_ _Honesty is the best policy”_ approach already worked for him once, so Reyes decided to tell the truth. 

“As far as I can tell, you like him. And that’s something I don’t like.” 

Gil laughed – definitely not the reaction Reyes expected – and set his mug next to Reyes’ near the coffee-maker. 

“To be honest, I like you as well,” he said, taking a seat. “I mean, nor that your ego needs any more boosting from me, but you are a handsome and smart man. And if you think that my heart belongs exclusively to Scott – you are mistaken. There were possibilities, it didn’t work out. Shit happens.”

“He flirts with you.”

“In case you didn’t notice – he flirts with everyone, that’s his standard approach,” he took his mug, smelled liquid in it and made a happy noise. “And we both have something in common, I guess. We are both chilling all the time. I just don't give a fuck most of the time, and for you everything it calculated three steps ahead. I believe Scott likes your way of chilling more.”

Reyes kept silent – he realized that Brodie needed this conversation far more than he did. 

“Ryder is crazy about you, you know. When you are near – everything and everyone else just vanish for him. If you were behind the concrete wall, he’d break it with his bare hands. I thought you knew, but it seems a second opinion wouldn’t hurt sometimes, huh?”

He winked and smiled, open and vulnerably. Reyes smirked and took a sip of his coffee, desperately wishing for a bit of cognac in it.

“You have this natural charm, you know,” it seemed that Gil was in the mood for long and soulful talks. “So stop being a jerk and people will reach out. On the Tempest – for sure.”

“I hope not literally,” Reyes didn’t know, why he played along, with a half-smile and heavy look from under long lashes, but it was impossible to resist.

“Why not?” Gil laughed again. “You play poker, fuck like hell, judging from the sounds from your quarters… And before you ask – yes, we can hear you almost from every corner. And you are good with tools and engines. So - from my point of view - you are sort of an ideal man for me. I don’t see any problem here. By the way - I know Ryder and whatever he may have said, they will be out there for hours. So may be a round of poker to pass time?”

***

And of course, Reyes had to mention space-horrors right before they went in. So now Scott was definitely hearing odd sounds from the darkened corners of this seemingly abandoned space station. Corners, crawling with various space monsters, hiding in the dark and waiting for the chance to jump over Scott and strike him with their awful monstrous eggs. It didn’t help the cause that all the corners in this godforsaken place were pitch dark. And not only corners. 

The rest of the ground team appeared to be in the very same state of mind and it didn't help either. Liam was constantly muttering that it was too dark and silent here, Cora periodically sparked blue and checked her assault rifle. Vetra and Drak were two steps behind, whispering about something, and even Jaal was eerily quiet and kept close to Scott, like it would be less dangerous. 

The only ones who kept their spirits high were Suvi and PeeBee, both shaking with excitement at the potential of this place. Their mood didn’t weaver even when right near the entrance something made awful crunching sounds under their feet. 

Suvi went right with it, getting a handful of strange soil and taking a closer look.

“Look like bones,” she said. “Very small fraction of bones, or may be whole ones for some small animals. Or it can be ceramics, of course.”

“I really hope you didn’t lick it to find this out,” Ryder said with the nervous laugh. This place was getting worse every step they made - lifeless rock with a grim palace in the middle, hidden under a huge dark protective dome. It looked like some kind of dragon lair - abandoned and decaying, with no trace of huge spacecraft, full of colonists.

“I planned to postpone licking till we get back to the ship,” she collected some more soil examples, probably ceramics (please, let it be ceramics) and got up. “Let’s move?”

The gate in front of them opened silently, and Scott held his breath – waiting for the sounds that monsters made. And he did hear something – quiet, almost inaudible metallic clicking, more of a feeling than a sound, really. 

“What is that, SAM,” Scott switched to private channel, not to worry the rest of the team. SAM didn’t answer.

“It doesn’t feel right,” Jaal mumbled, clearly understanding that his frankness right now was inappropriate, but still saying it out loud. “I’ve seen lots of Jaardan architecture, but nothing like this.”

“Well, there’s only way to find out what’s up!” Suvi smiled and bravely stepped into the darkness.

***

“I’m crazy about Ryder, don’t get me wrong, Darling, but you're too good for him,” Brodie made a sip of his whiskey, drunk more from his third in a row victory, than from alcohol. “I’m thinking of making my move with you.”

“A duel, perhaps,” Reyes smiled, noticing how Gil’s eyes were glued to his hands, shifting cards with practised ease. “Always wanted to be the object of a fight.”

Gil put his legs on a coffee table set near the couch. Reyes made himself comfortable on the other end of the mentioned couch. He had to admit - strange construction in captains quarters was a pale parody of this oasis of comfort. The idea of bringing the fucking used couch from the other galaxy still looked a bit crazy for him, but now he at least could contemplate with Kosta’s brain worms. 

“I’m afraid to ask – how many idiots fell for it, huh?” Brodie smirked.

“You can’t even imagine,” Reyes got into play, briefly thinking that such evenings with cards and whiskey and good company were something he could get used to. “More idiots fell only for the elegant curve of my lashes.”

“Are you provoking me or what?” Gil gave him a strange look, probably trying to see the mentioned curve. His eyes held so much old pain and Reyes almost decided to backpedal and apologize.

But words died on the tip of his tongue, as they heard shouts and loud noises in the cargo bay. 

And the first thing he saw after getting out of Kosta’s closet was Kosta himself. Covered in blood. 


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another attempt to find out what happened to Quarian ark, lots of introspections and unexpected revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has it been... three month? Sorry, real life is kind of happened )

Reyes tried to get a hold on Kosta, but his fingers were slipping from the bloodied armour. Blood belonged to a human being for sure – it was bright red and still warm, smelling of iron. 

“Where is Ryder?” Reyes asked, at last managing to hold Kosta still. He was just mumbling something incoherent, eyes unfocused and lost. Therapeutic slap didn’t make it better, and Reyes was getting sober with alarming speed. “Where. Is. Ryder.”

Kosta was definitely not ready for dialogue and just turned away. 

“I’m here, Reyes, I’m here,” he heard Scott’s voice getting closer, Scott coming into the view. “That’s not my blood, don’t worry.”

Reyes latched onto Scott, fingers digging in his shoulders. He was not sure what he was doing, not understanding who he was trying to catch – Scott or himself. Heavy smell of blood and the feeling of inevitable shitshow triggered some sort of alarm in his brain. “Danger! Run! Fight! Run!” red alert light flickered in his brain repeatedly. So Reyes took a deep breath, held it before exhaling and turned fucking alarm off. 

“What happened?” he asked Scott, giving him a quick look-over. He didn’t notice any visible damage, but something still felt off, like a sore finger. 

“Well, it didn’t go...as planned.” Ryder signed and took his hand, like trying to hold on something too, to keep balance. He almost pressed their foreheads together but stopped himself – it was not the place nor time for such gestures.

He saw Drack and Vetra, hurrying through the cargo bay with a stretcher. It was occupied by Harper, pale and unmoving, probably unconscious – or worse, and on a closer look Reyes realised what dumbfounded Kosta so much. Judging from the scarlet pattern on her armour, it was a fountain of blood from where her arm broke. Not a view one would enjoy.

Jaal was carefully moving along with them too, supporting Cora’s injured limb. Maybe he was afraid it would just fall off her body.

“Cora fell from the second floor into some… trench, I don’t know… it was about eight meters deep, I guess. And looks like something was waiting for her down below,” Scott moved away from Reyes, hiding his eyes. It looked like he was not telling the whole story, like he felt guilty for Cora´s injury. Reyes decided to stop him from getting into the “It should’ve been me” train of thoughts immediately.

“She got out with pure biotics, it’s sort of a miracle she did it at all… But… her arm… and I’m sure that’s not the only damage and I… I didn’t even understand what happened, it was so dark and all those… things. That place is crawling with them. Some kind of insects, and they were everywhere, Reyes...”

And then Reyes realised what was wrong with Scott. He was scared, terrified even – kind of fear that left one with shaking hands and cold sweat.

“So why are we still here?” he asked, hiding his own fear behind the mask of annoyance.

“Because I take Liam and Vetra and go back” Scott said with quiet resolution in his voice. 

It was like a punch in the gut. Reyes felt his left eyelid twitching. He turned away, hiding it from Scott, and pretended to examine bloody strains on the floor.

“Why? Why do you want to go back now, when you probably set off all possible alarms there?” Desire to grab Scott and drag him back to captain’s quarters, effectively ending this futile conversation, became almost unbearable. “When these “insects” or whatever are waiting? How do you know that they didn’t follow you, by the way?”

“Your royal highness might not notice, of course, but we have the crew member missing,” Kosta spat. He clearly came back to his senses and Reyes had a strong urge to punch him for this stupid attempt to sting even in such circumstances. “Suvi got caught in some gravity trap at that fucking warehouse. And we sealed the gate, no one is following.”

“Listen, I understand, she’s your teammate and so on,” Reyes raised his hands, like peace offering, and examined the present Tempest crew. “But these things happen, it’s life. We can’t kill all for one, can we?”

The moment he finished the phrase it became clear – he went too far. Not that he ever was an example of selflessness and compassion but offer to leave Anvar for certain death was beyond comprehension – even Kosta didn’t spare a word, stunned by his ruthlessness. 

“I must, Reyes.” Ryder said. “I can’t leave her there to die. I owe her this much.”

“And you don’t owe me anything?” Reyes spat, clearly not controlling himself.

Ryder said nothing, and his silence was speaking for itself. Reyes caught himself on the idea of actually taking over Tempest – dash to the bridge, seal the doors and keep this idiot from another suicide attempt. His control was falling apart, like a sandcastle in the tide, and he really hoped it wasn’t showing for outsiders. 

“How can you be sure she’s still alive?” he asked, deliberately calm.

“Those creatures don't get close to the trap,” Scott's voice was laced with kindness – like he was talking to a sick dog: he surely understood what was going on inside Vidal’s mind. “They just crawl around. And there are some turrets on the perimeter, and SAM doesn't work inside…” He shook his head and rubbed his forehead, like trying to chase away pain. “Reyes. I don’t know, honestly. But we must go back. And we need a biotic.”

“Harper’s one.”

“She’s very much unconscious, if you hadn’t noticed,” Scott noted, dryly, just stating the fact. Looked like he was getting tired of the discussion. 

Reyes could almost feel how his thoughts were dancing around his brain, how his mind was desperately trying to find some valid arguments and got even angrier when he couldn't. It was sort of embarrassing – how easily Ryder brought him in this state of mind – blinking alarm lights disco with no way to shut it down. 

“Let’s wait, she’ll wake up soon,” he wasn’t really aware any more of what he was saying. Fucking lights. 

“She has at least three broken bones,” Scott said calmly. Reyes knew this tone and knew this look on Scott’s face – a martyr, ready to go and save the day at any cost. And he hated it with all his soul. “Her helmet cracked, and I’m almost sure her arm holds on her skin and muscles only.”

“Nobody said life is a bed of roses.”

“Reyes.”

“Okay, you… You have PeeBee,” he continued on sheer stubbornness.

“She's an archaeologist.”

“So what? And you are my…” he shut himself, desperately trying to bear his senses. And he managed. Almost. “Anyway. I forbid you to go back in there.”

“Do you, now?” Ryder suddenly jerked up, losing his cool interior. “What makes you think that you can allow me to do anything? Did I ask for your opinion? I’m not your property, and not even one of your… lieges. So will you be so kind to shut up and just let me do my job? Go, get yourself some coffee, or sort your socks in alphabetical order, or whatever you do to relax.”

He turned on his heels and marched to the ramp, hitting the opening button with his armoured fist. It opened lazily, slowly, like it had some reluctance.

“Guys,” PeeBee’s voice was quiet, so Reyes hardly heard her from the hallway, a deafening pulse in his ears. “Return in one piece, please?”

***

After the first serious fight creatures from the dark got quieter. Or changed tactics. 

They were man made (or the Jardaan made, to be precise) – old generation of relic robots, huge polymer centipedes, armed with scary sharp mandibles, not firearms. That’s why they could attack at close quarters only, so clearing the way was quite an easy job. Right up to the room with turrets and sort of ram and ditch below. 

Scott was giving Liam a biotic barrier while he was deploying mines and Vetra was covering them both firing at damn insects. Scott thought for a second that the sounds of tiny metal legs scrapping stone floors would become a permanent soundtrack for his nightmares. 

Scott didn’t have much trouble with the console, even without SAM connection, and in no time Suvi dropped on the ground with surprised “...are these creatures?” 

She got herself together quickly – getting on her feet and running to Verta restarting her shield at the same time. 

“I want you to distract these fucking roaches,” Ryder shouted over the comms, trying to out-voice Vetra’s shooting. “I’ll go upstairs to check our signal.”

“Are you nuts?” Liam called from lower level though didn’t try to stop Scott and just kept getting closer to the exit. “I don’t want to face your sweetheart if you get so much as scratched. Let’s move out.”

“I’ll deal with Reyes myself, Liam,” Scott said, a bit harsher than intended. “Do as you are told. And keep away from the void, it seems that something is moving down there.”

With no further ado, he went ahead. Sound of tiny metal legs got quieter and Scott breathed out, willing his body to relax before the final push. Silence in his head in SAM’s absence was unsettling, but Scott just closed his eyes and concentrated. No time to search for workarounds – just bright blue spark, leap, and there it was – the third level of the tower, with a treasure inside. Behind that bulkhead – was the source of the signal that brought them here, on which depend twenty thousand lives of pilgrims from the Milky Way. Scott didn’t give it much thought – his adrenaline fuelled brain worked on its own accord – fast and steady, with no room for hesitation. Onwards. 

He activated another panel and it moved, not making a sound, revealing the wall opening. The still cool air hit Ryder along with the wave of impenetrable darkness. The air flow was getting thicker, like jelly or concrete. And then something very hard hit him square in the chest. 

***

Sparks of light, copper taste on his tongue, humming in his ears… And a voice, strangely familiar, talking to somebody else, phrases annoyed and curt. Scott is trying to reach out, blankly staring in the space before him, trying to get a hold on the source of the voice. His hand is caught by a warm and rough palm, and the voice is getting closer.

“Stay still, Ryder, or I’ll finish you with my own hands.”

He tries to answer, but can’t hear his own voice, and he actually should. His consciousness is getting away, like some fish in shallow sea water. 

Sea… The house on the very edge of the water. Smile, bright like sun patches, smell of salt, black hair roughened by salty water, and wind, and sun. Myriads of sea water drops scattered over bronze skin. To fuck with it, Scott is ready to eat just those awful oysters from now on – but, please, stars, dear lord, universe powers, somebody – let him return home. To Reyes. 

***

He woke up with the start, thinking straight enough to evaluate the situation – he had ended up in the med bay way too often and could easily recognize the ceiling, way too bright lights and no so pleasant smell.

“Where is Reyes?” he croaked and coughed. 

“Knew it,” snorted PeeBee from the med bay entrance. “You’d better be asking where your legs are.”

“It already was not funny the first time you made it, Peebs,” Scott smiled, but discreetly wiggled his toes – just in case. He found a button on the bed railing and lifted it a bit to see the whole room. 

Nearest cot was occupied by Cora, and she looked quite shitty.

“So, where is he?”

“He’s in your quarters, sleeping,” PeeBee rolled her eyes. “If, of course, our good doctor didn’t mess with the dose. You, humans, have such weak hearts. Anyway, Doc gave him coffee with sleeping pills, and guys got his out of here. It was the only way to get rid of him.”

“Well, well, well, are you poisoning my boyfriend now? And probably dropped him on the way?”

“You know, Scott,” Lexi didn’t bother turning to face him. “Before meeting your ‘boyfriend’ I was pretty sure that your father was the most stubborn person in the Universe.”

“Isn’t it normal – to choose a man similar to you father?” Scott smiled. “In some way, at least.”

“The girls usually do that, no?” PeeBee jumped on conversation. 

“Gender stereotypes?” Scott raised his brow. “How strange to have it coming from you, PeeBee.”

“Why, just because I’m an asari? Look who’s talking about stereotypes.”

Scott laughed and immediately regretted it – sharp pain hit his head, like some evil gnome was beating him with a heavy bat.

SAM chimed in and offered to avoid sudden moves. His return filled Scott with joy and he gladly shared feeling with AI. 

“To be honest, I’m surprised he didn’t finish the job himself,” PeeBee continued, ignoring Scott’s scowl. “You know, it’s a good thing you were unconscious when they brought you back. He was... to put it mildly … furious.”

“Reyes just worries too much,” Scott made a small smile. The thought of someone like Reyes worrying about him was quite pleasant. 

“And that’s odd. Normal person wouldn’t give a damn.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if I were him, I wouldn’t worry about the guy who stated that I’m not really important to him. In public.”

“What?” Scott lifted himself off the cot, wincing at a stab of pain. “But I didn’t mean… I’m not… Shit. Did it really sound like that?”

“It sounded “Who the hell are you at all?” like.”

Ryder flopped back on the pillow and covered his eyes. 

“Shit.”

“Indeed. And that is what he gets after all the things he does for you.”

“Meaning…?” Scott opened one eye and gave PeeBee a wary look.

“Weeeell,” she definitely said something she shouldn’t – it was written all over her face. “He’s your lover, what do you usually do for each other? Giving head or foot massage or… I don’t know, help with shaving places? How should I know, anyway? I've been with three human males in my life, including you, my friend.”

“PeeBee…”

“I’m not telling you anything. Ask him yourself if you are so curious.”

“We’ll get back to this discussion,” Scott, of course, could get it all out of her now, but decided he had more pressing issues. “Help me up.”

“Like hell I will, I still wanna be on Dr. T’Perro good side.”

“He did get out of here with far more serious injuries,” Lexi lifted her eyes from the console. “He doesn’t need IV any more and has just a mild concussion and several bruises. I’m sure Mr. Vidal will see that Scott doesn’t make himself worse. After all, he is the adult one in their pair. Help him, PeeBee, be so kind.”

“Who am I to stand in the way of high sentiments,” PeeBee agreed. She even supported him on the way out, lending him an unexpectedly strong shoulder. 

Ryder felt himself better than expected – except for vertigo and pain in every nerve of his body. 

He got out of the med bay, carefully reached for the captain's quarters, and tried to get on the bed with minimal noise. It ended up with loud groaning and struggling but at last he managed to get himself more or less comfortable on his side of the bed, facing Reyes. He stayed still for a minute, listening to the breathing of the other man, then moved closer and pressed his face between his shoulder blades, injured hand resting over the waist. 

“I… shouldn’t have said what I said back there,” he whispered. Reyes was laying on top of the covers, dressed in his usual outfit – t-shirt and joggers, but his skin was overwhelmingly hot. Or maybe Ryder’s own skin was way too cold. “Forgive me. I know you can’t hear me, but it was unfair of me and I want you to know… You will always come first for me, always. But before that – there’s me, and I… I am who I am, the one you fell in love with. In any situation which involves you I’ll do whatever I can to be on your side, to be there for you. You know it by now. But don’t ask me to become someone else. Someone I’ll never become.”

Reyes of course, didn't answer, just took a deep breath, and hid his face deeper into the pillow. He probably was a bit cold. 

“I’m yours, Reyes.” Scott lifted himself up using his good hand, to see Vidal’s face, even half-turned. “Only yours. But I’m still me. And I hope you don’t want any other, right?”

Presumably asleep Reyes opened his right eye, shooting Scott a lopsided grin.

“Right,” he said, voice rough.

“Shouldn’t you be under sleeping pills?” Scott said with exasperation and jabbed with an elbow. Reyes dodged and turned on his back, still grinning.

“Well, do I look like a madman who will take something from your MO hands? It was a tactical evasion. I did fall asleep though, but your arrival with the grace of the drunken elcor would wake even dead.”

“You’ve heard everything, haven’t you?”

“How could I not?” He smiled and caressed Scott’s cheek with his hand. “That’s a classical catch, how could you fall for it?”

“Are you angry with me?”

“Oh, that’s for sure. But right now, I’m worried more. You’ve fallen from a rather high point, and your trajectory was inconvenient. How are you?”

“Wrist is almost broken,” Scott couldn’t take his eyes from those full and warm lips. “And my chest took quite a bruising.”

“And that’s all?” Reyes chuckled. 

“Concussion?”

“That’s chronic,” Reyes waved his hand dismissively. 

“Stop gloating,” Scott frowned.

“Nope. Will do as I please.”

“Fine, I’ve earned it anyway.”

“Ryder and his trademark self-sacrificing,” Reyes got comfortable on the pillows and scooped Scott into warm embrace. Scott hid his face in a crook of his neck, half-expecting to be chased away. Though, Reyes just stayed where he was – calm and warm, and relaxed, not intending to argue. Scott felt a strong urge to cry – from pain, and self-pity and understanding that he had hurt someone so precious to him. He took a shuddering breath and Reyes kissed the top of his head, his hand finding Scott’s atop of his chest. 

“Forgive me, please,” Scott breathed out, not sure he could hold those words inside any longer. “I do love you. So much.”

“Shut it, Scott.”

“Very-very much. Honestly.”

Reyes didn’t say a word and made a displeased noise, which didn’t boost Scott’s confidence. 

“Say you love me too,” he whispered, not trusting his voice fully. 

“Of course I do,” there was no real emotion in Reyes’ voice. “Not that I can get away from you now.”

Those words made Scott utterly unhappy. He pressed his face into warm skin even stronger than before, making it hard to breath. Treacherous tear slid from the corner of his eye – big and hot. Scott let out the breath he didn’t know he held. 

Reyes tensed up – he probably had felt a warm spot of moisture on his t-shirt. He lifted himself on his elbow and looked at Scott. Ryder didn’t open his eyes, just felt his stare. Piercing, just like PeeBee said. Scott sniffed, obviously on the verge of tears. One more tear slid down his cheek.

“Hey,” Reyes called, closer than he expected. “What’s wrong? It’s ok.”

“Not ok,” Scott shook his head. “Not ok.”

“Look at me,” Reyes asked, and Scott obeyed. The look on his face made him want to cry even more. 

“I’m so tired, Reyes,” words got out on its own accord, and Scott didn’t really understand what he even wanted to say. Reyes, on the other hand, seemed to understand it clearly.

“I know,” he said, and sat up in the bed, tugged Scott closer, like a rag doll and hugged again. Scott clung to him like a lifeline, forgetting about his bruised ribs and almost-broken wrist, and the dam broke. Scott cried, pain, both physical and emotional, finally had taken its toll. “Don’t stop, let yourself go, it’ll get better.”

“It won’t,” Scott whimpered. 

“There, there,” Reyes’ voice was barely above a whisper, long fingers caressing Scott’s shaking back, “It’s just a meds withdrawal. It’ll pass, believe me.” 

“It won’t.” The T-shirt Reyes wore was probably soaked with tears. Scott couldn’t breathe properly, throat raw and pained. “I can’t. I just can’t.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, of course you can,” Reyes argued, his voice soft. “Don’t give up, Scott, only ones with no imagination do. And you are not like them. You have no idea what you are really capable of. Especially when I’m with you.” 

“How modest of you,” Scott managed to smile, tears still rolling down his cheeks with no intention to stop. Reyes just continued.

“And I will be with you all the way. Are we clear?”

“Yes,” Scott made a shuddering breath and wiped his wet face.

He probably looked awful, but Reyes' gaze was full of concentrated tenderness, worry, understanding and love.

“Forgive me,” he managed. “Love you.”

“That’s quite enough. I got it the first time, all right? I’m not stupid. And it was not my brightest moment, either. Had to think first instead of overreacting.”

“You are not stupid,” Ryder confirmed, returning back in Reyes’ embrace. “That’s for sure.”

Vidal slowly caressed his hair, waiting for tears to stop. By the time Scott calmed down and crying subsided, the wet spot on the t-shirt was more than visible, sticking to skin. Reyes smiled, when Scott tried to lift the hem up, almost unconsciously trying to ease the discomfort. 

“Don’t even think about it,” he rumbled, but still held his hands up. “Don’t even think about fixing things with sex now – you are snotty and red like a well-done hanar.”

Scott laughed and sniffed – he really was not an example of sex appeal. And the way Reyes put up with his tantrum made him want to cry again. 

“Hey, don’t cry, come on,” Reyes shook him a bit, “or I’ll start crying too. I’m such a sentimental guy, you have no idea.”

“You are too kind with me. Why are you so kind?”

“None of your business,” Reyes’ smile was sly. “I do as I please.”

“I spoil everything…” Scott covered his face, a new wave of sadness hitting him hard. Maybe it really was something to do with the meds he was full of now. Cold fingers resting on burning eyelids, giving some relief.

“What are you, an unstable teen? Get it together, Scott.”

“Not a teen,” Scott tried to dry his face, but it clearly didn’t help. “I am a sane adult person.”

“Adult? You?” Reyes snorted. “Says the one who scratched his name on a helmet. With a screwdriver. You can’t be possibly more than fourteen. God, how low of me. I’m sleeping with a child.”

“I’m serious, Reyes. Scream at me, can even slap me, if you want. I hurt you and you are still so kind and patient. That’s not right.”

“First – you didn’t hurt me. Upset – yes, but definitely not hurt. And second – I’m not a fan of solving issues with my fists, you know.”

Scott didn’t say anything, just got a bit up and kissed the corner of Reyes’ lips. As he still couldn’t breathe normally – the kiss was short lived, but it looked like Reyes enjoyed it anyway. He just held Scott close and calmed him with his own even breathing.

“Why do I feel so good when we’re together? So calm and safe?” Scott asked after a pause. His brain was slowly recovering after breakdown, despite residual pain.

“Because I’m your soulmate,” Reyes explained, like it was the most common thing in the universe. “Haven’t you read those novels, where they lived happily ever after?”

“It’s not a novel, it’s a stupid romcom. Or all of them, so shut it. Why can’t I understand when you are mocking me?”

“Mocking you? How can I? Never.”

“You are. Right now.” Scott squinted.

“Yes,” Reyes made his most honest face and laughed, when Scott shoved him.

He got out of the bed, far too cheerful for a person who just faced serious emotional turmoil, put on a fresh t-shirt, and gave Scott a questioning look.

“Can I get you something?”

“Water and some tissues,” Scott clumsily got under the covers. “Please.”

“Anything else?”

“Lay with me?”

“Get yourself cleaned first, then we’ll see.”

Reyes did stay, even let Scott cuddle, and rested his right hand around his shoulders. It didn’t stop him from going through the data pad with his left, movements elegant and swift. He worked on some documents, reading and editing, deft fingers digging into words and numbers (figuratively speaking, of course). He frowned a bit, concentrated on work and Scott caught himself on a thought that he didn’t like it. He grew to think that this trip was a big, long vacation with the elements of honeymoon for both, so Reyes working was breaking the rules. 

He almost voiced his concerns, but… It would be pot calling kettle black, especially after the most recent events. He had lots of work to do too. And there was too much at stake. If he didn’t do it well, thousands of drells, volus, hanars and quarians would die. 

“I wonder if drells could live on Elaaden. What do you think?”

“Don’t know,” Reyes didn’t lift his eyes from some table he currently looked through. “Why?”

“Kepral's syndrome, and Elaaden is a total desert, dry as bone. I think that’s what drells would need.”

“Well, probably yes, but we’ll never know. I doubt someone took the trouble to smuggle a drell here. They are quite… specific goods.”

“I mean, when we find colonists.”

“Colonists?” Reyes gave him an incredulous look, but it quickly passed. “Ah, yes. Colonists.”

“It would be good to give everyone their own home… You know?”

“Scott, drells had their own Pathfinder. And you are ours, so you should probably think about us instead.”

“I’m all yours,” and Scott didn’t even exaggerate. “And I think about you most of the time.”

“Well, since I have already found myself a home, that’s irrelevant. Just like drells on Elaaden.”

He was way too serious, and Scott felt a pang of sadness again. 

“You think we won’t find them?” he asked softly, and Reyes dropped the data pad on his chest, if only a bit overdramatically.

“I think you think about it too much,” he said, face turning into an impenetrable mask. Scott wanted to argue, but all his arguments didn’t get through. It was so easy to forget that easy-going smuggler with a honeyed voice and tender touch facade hid steel carcass, cold and unbending. Not that Scott was about to complain – he loved this man with all his flaws and double bottoms. 

Reyes stayed silent, studying Scott’s face, and continued, much softer.

“You think too much, Scott, that’s bad for your health. Let’s cross the bridge when we come to it, ok?”

“Ok,” Scott untangled himself from Reyes’ embrace and turned on his side, secretly hoping that he looked lonely and sad enough.

It worked – Reyes signed, set his data pad on the floor, and got under the covers, spooning Scott from behind. 

“Let’s talk about something else?” he offered.

Scott smiled – he loved these long night talks – like he was back to school, having sleepovers with his best friend, and there were parents in the next room, and they could hide in a pillow castle and tell stories in whispers.

He got himself up a bit and Reyes stretched his hand. Scott dropped back into the embrace, leaving a feather-light kiss on his delicate wrist.

“So… How is Keema?”

“Surprisingly well. Seems she is better off without me – I’m starting to fear she’ll warm up to it and overthrow me.”

“To be honest, you deserve it.”

“Oh, do I now?”

“Yep. Karma is a bitch.”

“Well, in this case. I’ll have to take over the Tempest. I am a pirate, after all.”

“Like you haven’t done it already. Almost.”

“You are exaggerating.”

“Am not. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but your words have weight, everybody tends to do what you say. You just being you, that’s it. Except for Cora, probably, but since she’s still in med bay… Consider Tempest yours.”

“How is she doing, by the way?”

“Not sure. Lexi says she’s gonna be ok, but it looks... not very reassuring.”

“Harper will pull through, she's a tough one. That’s in her blood – to fight for life and grow again. But… whom am I telling this? You are pretty much the same,” Reyes’ note made Scott smile. “So, you are dangerous for me too.”

“Totally agree. In a fair fight I’ll definitely win, so you’ll have to kill me in my sleep. But if you ask me, I’d say I prefer far more delightful death from mind-blowing orgasm.”

“That I can provide.”

“I know, that’s why I’m asking. Speaking of which…” Scott decided to give voice to some of his questions. “Your first sex? Who it was with?”

“Oh?”

“I mean… Man, woman? Was it even human? You don’t have to answer, by the way.”

“No, no problem, you just caught me by surprise with such a turn of discussion.”

“Come on, it’s interesting.”

“Guess?”

“Well, if you are offering to guess – it was a woman.”

“Nope.”

“Seriously?” Scott turned his head “with a guy?”

“And nope,” Reyes pecked his lips. “My first “all bases” time was… Let’s say, I was cheese in a sandwich, consisting of quite a kinky couple.”

“Shut up!” Scott tried to understand if Reyes was lying, but, as usual, failed. “Gods, Reyes, now I want details.”

“I was sixteen, but looked older, so sometimes I hung in a bar nearby. Not to get drunk, more to watch and listen. And one night a lady took a seat next to me – she was about thirty, I guess, beautiful, slim. Later I learned that it was her husband to notice me, but she went first, not to spook me off. He joined us later, bought a round of drinks, made a few jokes and a few compliments, and then some suggestions... So, I thought – why not?” 

Scott listened, holding his breath. He imagined the whole picture quite vividly – seedy bar, bored couple – tourists, probably, and sixteen years old Reyes – curious and daring, as usual. 

“And how did you look like?” he asked, hoping for some fuel for future fantasies,

“Almost like I am now, I guess,” Reyes answered. “Hair was a bit longer, less scars and wrinkles, obviously. Thin, but fit – I played football and worked out regularly.”

“Ideal twink,” Scott grinned. “No wonder that guy got interested.”

“Probably yes,” Reyes stretched. “But it was reckless – to go somewhere with some kinky strangers in the middle of the night. Juvenile moron. They could’ve killed me. Or worth.”

“You were always lucky, I guess,” Scott’s voice dropped an octave.

“They even wanted me to stay the night. Such a cool couple. But I woke up in the middle of the night, got out of bed and went home. It was almost dawn, the sky was getting lighter, and I walked the empty street, and everything felt... surreal. Like I turned some wrong way on the crossroads and found myself in another dimension. And this new reality is swirling around me, but I’m so out of it. Unforgettable feeling. I’ve felt like that only once since then – after Sloan’s party, when I was returning home. After we’d been kissing on the rooftop.”

Scott stayed silent, not knowing what to say. He thought about that night too – how he was hurrying to Tempest, smiling at each crew member. How he had started to miss Reyes as soon as he got to bed. Now he understood – it was the breaking point, when he decided that he wanted to be with Reyes. It seemed pretty surreal too. 

“Well, after such a story, my first sex during prom in changing rooms seems boring as hell,” Scott chuckled. Reyes didn’t say anything, deep in thoughts. “And how about falling in love? Who was your first?”

“Honestly? You, I guess.”

“Gods,” Scott finally turned, facing Reyes now. He was thankful for the darkened room – his face was burning. “You have vanilla syrup instead of blood in your veins. You are not a human being; you are a typical romcom character.”

“Remember I told you about the old gypsy’s curse?” Reyes signed with insincere mirth, and Scott suddenly realised he’d been serious. “Can’t help myself.”

“So don’t,” he said, trying to pour feelings into his voice, to let Reyes know that he was serious too. “I like you exactly the way you are.”

He rested his hand on Reyes’ cheek, feeling it burning under his fingers. He was not the only one blushing here. 


End file.
